Traffickers to be booked under Goonda Act, State to HC

The State government on Thursday submitted in the High Court that persons engaged in trafficking of women and children will be booked under the Goonda Act and also it will ensure strict surveillance on brothels.

The government submitted detailed guidelines for the protection of women and children trafficked for domestic work. Following the submission, the HC disposed of a petition with regard to human trafficking.

The counsel for the State government submitted that the Department of Social Welfare, Women and Child Development, Police, Primary and Secondary Education, Labour and the Legal Services Authority will be the primarily responsible for prevention, rescue, and rehabilitation of victims of trafficking.  A State-level anti-human trafficking coordination committee, led by Chief Secretary, will be constituted for the coordination. Further, district- level anti-human trafficking committee, under the chairmanship of district magistrate, will also be formed.

Further, as preventive measures, the government  stated that all residential welfare associations (RWAs), building associations of apartment complexes and co-operatives have been told to ensure against engaging children as domestic workers, and also make sure that the domestic workers employed are being done so not against their wishes.

They should display boards mentioning the abolition of child labour to educate its residents in public places. The government shall take steps to create public awareness of the same through public hoarding and advertisements. The Labour department shall conduct raids on apartment complex to ensure the occupants have complied with the norms.

An 18-year-old girl from Jharkhand had moved the court seeking action against those who trafficked her to Bengaluru. Justice Ashok B Hinchigeri, expressing his happiness over the government’s effort, disposed of the petition. The girl was rescued and sent to her hometown.