Helpline to track child marriages

‘1098 plus’ service launched in Koppal, the first of its kind in the State

The district has earned the unique distinction of starting the ‘1098 plus Koppal’ services - to link the child protection helpline to various departments for better co-ordination - for the first time in the State.

Accordingly, the ‘1098’ helpline will, starting from March, include five child red alerts in addition to its present services for the protection of child rights.

The required software has already been developed for the ‘1098 plus’ service, the brainchild of Deputy Commissioner Tulasi Maddineni.

Five child red alerts have been added to the hitherto child-centric service and they are: maternal mortality, infant mortality, anaemia among pregnant women, child marriages and missing children.

Under the augmented services, anganwadi workers will collect details about maternal and child mortalities, anaemic pregnant women, besides information about married and missing children.

They will have to get the details within 24 hours of the deaths of mothers or children or children going missing.

The information so collected will be forwarded to the department concerned for suitable action, said Harish Jogi, training co-ordinator of the Integrated Child Protection Scheme of Unicef.

Action plan

Based on the information collected, maps will be prepared to identify problem areas in the jurisdiction of the respective anganwadi centres.

The maps will help prepare action plans to mitigate the problems.

The ‘1098 plus’ services will help co-ordinate the activities of the departments of health, police, labour, education and women and child development.

Discussions have already been held with the heads of these departments in connection with the ‘1098 plus’ services.

Maddineni feels the augmented helpline will go a long way in the protection of women and children.

A ‘1098 plus’ management committee has been formed already to oversee the functioning of the helpline.

The deputy commissioner will interact with all anganwadi workers in the district on February 27 to educate them about the working of the new system. 

New features

*  To function from March in Koppal
*  Includes five child red alerts
*  Anganwadi workers to gather info of missing kids, deaths
*  Helpline facilitates co-ordination between departments