Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore (AF)

Mangalore, Oct 28: The City Advisory Board (CAB) meeting of Childline was held at Roshni Nilaya School of Social Work here on Friday October 27.

Presiding over the meeting, deputy commissioner M Maheshwar Rao gave special attention to the issue of child beggars and instructed the women's police station and labour department to conduct a joint drive for rehabilitating child beggars in special schools under the Child Labour Act.

Childline and the departments concerned will identify child beggars on the streets, talk to their parents and rehabilitate them in special schools. Rao also directed Childline to conduct a study on street children and to conduct programmes that can instil confidence in them.

Social activist Olinda Pereira expressed concern over Childline's 24-hour helpline 1098 not being accessible from other taluks and from private telephone service providers. Regarding corpus funds for running Childline, she suggested collecting Rs 2 from every school-going child.

Among those present at the meeting were paediatrician Dr Shantaram Baliga, advocate Asha Nayak, Prof Rita Noronha and representatives of YMCA, labour department and others.