Bring back smiles on kids faces: Mancherial Collector Bharati Hollikeri

Mancherial: District Collector Bharati Hollikeri has called for cohesive effort to make the 'Operation Smile', a programme envisioned by the Central Ministry of Home Affairs, to rescue and rehabilitate the missing and destitute kids from slavery and child labour, a huge success. Speaking at a review meeting here on Friday, she said that the onus is on all line departments to bring back smiles on the faces of hundreds of children languishing in wilderness.

It may be mentioned here that the month-long Operation Smile drive to begin on January 1. Under the drive, the specially trained police teams and the officials of the Child Welfare department visit the bus stations, railway platforms, religious places and shelter homes to find out the missing children and child labour. These kids will be produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and then were stationed at Children's Homes. After eliciting information from these kids, the CWC will reunite them with their families.

The Collector said that stringent action would be taken against those, who employ children in their homes, factories and any other business establishments prohibited by the law. Further she told the NGOs operating children homes, orphanages etc to comply with the norms and guidelines laid down by the government.

Stating that there are 409 children taking shelter in the 13 NGOs working for the protection of children, she told the managements to ensure hygiene and basic amenities in their institutions. Any deviation in this regard would attract stringent actions by the administration Hollikeri said. She told the officials to focus on the unauthorised children homes and initiate proceedings against them. The officials need to identify the missing children, now being provided shelter in the children homes, and unite them with their parents. She directed the officials to chalk out an action plan department-wise before the commencement of Operation Smile on January 1.

DWO Rauf Khan, DCP Uday Kumar Reddy, ACP Laxminarayana, DCPO Anand, Childline Coordinator Satyanarayana, DEO Venkateshwarlu, M&HO Bheeshma and district minority welfare officer Shyamala Devi were among others present.