GUWAHATI:
In view of the increasing number of incidents of violence against domestic help in the state, the Assam government is planning to bring a new legislation to monitor their health and education status, especially of those brought from tea garden areas.
“We are trying to bring a law to control the violence against domestic help. Under this legislation, a person has to register in the nearest police station for keeping domestic help in his house. He has to provide education and health care to the child that he keeps as domestic help,” Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed the House on September 12.
Sarma was replying to a question from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Diganta Kalita on the first day of the Autumn Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly.
“Children from economically weaker sections of the society, especially from tea garden areas have been hired by the people for their domestic works. But they do not give them education and health care facilities. This is also human trafficking within the state, we are bringing it as a main agenda now,” Sarma said.
“After the law is introduced, the employers will have to take responsibility for supporting the education and healthcare of the children even if their parents allow them to work,” Sarma stated.
The chief minister admitted that the number of incidents of human trafficking is going up in the state despite the police and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) constantly monitoring the situation.
“We need a joint effort to control the situation. Special human trafficking units have been set up in CID and Government Railway Police (GRP) units. At the grassroot level, Village Defence Party (VDP) have been asked to keep a strict vigil on the movement of the children from the respective villages,” the chief minister said.
A good number of trafficked children have been rescued due to the timely action of the police forces. “First thing we have to bring them back and build their skill for rehabilitation,” the chief minister said.
The chief minister informed the House that 161 human trafficking cases were registered in 2021 with 123 traffickers arrested and 279 victims rescued, including 110 children.
Describing the steps taken by the Assam Police when dealing with crimes against women and children, the chief minister spoke about setting up a division headed by an SP rank officer in the CID headquarters for monitoring heinous crimes against women and children, and setting up special cells for women in 11 districts to provide legal, psychological and counselling to women victims.