Trafficking of girls is one of the major socio-economic problems, Jharkhand is confronted with. These girls generally hail from sections of society sometimes fashionably referred to as ‘backwaters’.

Many Government agencies, police, NGOs are coordinating efforts to rescue trafficked girls and also to ensure no girl falls in the trap of the traffickers.

In one such example of coordinated efforts, the Jharkhand Police, Delhi Police, Bharatiya Kisaan Sangh and Action against Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Children (ATSEC) rescued 25 girls — all aged between 12 years to 17 years — from Delhi and brought them in the State capital on September 9.

Since April, 53 girls had been rescued. Simdega, Gumla, Sahebganj, Latehar, West Singhbhum are among the districts deeply troubled by trafficking. An FIR was logged against four traffickers in Jharkhand and one trafficker in Delhi. Four of them are in jail in the connection.

The Department of Child Welfare tried to contact the parents of rescued children. Till Tuesday four parents had arrived to receive their children. Child and Social Welfare Department Minister Bimla Pradhan said that 17 children would be given admission in Kasturba Gandhi School and rest others would be given livelihood training. Minister also gave school bags to girls.

She opined that the problem of trafficking could be handled effectively if local bodies like Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) are strengthened.

“PRI should keep a detailed record of every person going out of the state. They must have information like permanent address and the address of the place where people are going,” she said.

A workshop will be organised by Child Welfare Commission and Bhartiya Kisaan Sangh in Simdega on October 4, to educate and aware PRI officials as to how they can play bigger role in curbing the menace.