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J A L A N D H A R E D I T I O N

Children’s helpline 1098 launched
Gurdaspur, August 7
After a successful two-month long trial run, the initiative 1098 children helpline was formally inaugurated today by Dr Bhavna Trikha, chairperson of the District Child Welfare Council. Childline is a round the clock children’s helpline. This service can be used by child labourers working in organised and unorganised sectors, kids who need emotional guidance, missing children, runaway kids, children affected by disasters and children who are victims of physical, emotional and sexual abuse in schools.

Legal literacy van launched
Nawanshahr, August 7
To boost legal literacy drive, the District and Sessions Judge-cum-chairman, District Legal Services Authority, Satvinder Singh Chahal, flagged of the legal literacy van.

Farmers stage dharna
Tarn Taran, August 7
Farmers under the banner of Kisan Sangarash Committee (KSC), Punjab, today organised a dharna in front of the office of SDM, Patti.

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Children’s helpline 1098 launched
Ravi Dhaliwal/TNS

Gurdaspur, August 7
After a successful two-month long trial run, the initiative 1098 children helpline was formally inaugurated today by Dr Bhavna Trikha, chairperson of the District Child Welfare Council. Childline is a round the clock children’s helpline. This service can be used by child labourers working in organised and unorganised sectors, kids who need emotional guidance, missing children, runaway kids, children affected by disasters and children who are victims of physical, emotional and sexual abuse in schools.

In the trial run, half a dozen counsellors manning the helpline received 38 calls from distressed children and from others wanting to help kids. All the calls were responded to and problems of children were successfully redressed.

Recently, a caller from Qadian rang up 1098 and lodged his complaint. He informed that a bakery had employed children as labourers. The DC AbhinavTrikha quickly formed a team comprising of the District Social Security Officer, District Labour Officer and the Project Officer, and raided the bakery. The team rescued four children and handed them over to their parents with a warning.

Project director Romesh Mahajan said Gurdaspur had become the 6th district in the state to have this facility. Childline India Foundation is a NGO that operates a telephone helpline called Childline for kids in distress.

Bhavna Trikha said that the initiative was similar to the 911 service of USA. “What started as a simple helpline for street kids to call when in trouble in Mumbai is now expanded to 150 plus locations across the country including the far south Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The venture provides not only emergency response but also digs deep into the problem to ensure long-term safety for the child”.

Legal literacy van launched

Nawanshahr, August 7
To boost legal literacy drive, the District and Sessions Judge-cum-chairman, District Legal Services Authority, Satvinder Singh Chahal, flagged of the legal literacy van.

The van would help in accelerating legal literacy among the school students as well as the villagers by organising special seminars for creating awareness about the free legal aid schemes for ensuring easy access to the justice to under privileged section of the society. The advocates and the para legal volunteers would organise legal literacy seminars in the district. — OC

Farmers stage dharna

Tarn Taran, August 7
Farmers under the banner of Kisan Sangarash Committee (KSC), Punjab, today organised a dharna in front of the office of SDM, Patti.

Sawinder Singh Chutala , state general secretary, of the KSC condemned the acquiring of farmer’s land by the money lenders and some commission agents on the pretext of giving money to the farmers on loan. He added that this way the land of two farmers of Margindpura village have been grabbed by the commission agents.The KSC also presented a memorandum to the authorities. — OC