Karnataka child rights panel lays out plans to curb cellphone addiction in kids

Naganna Gowda, chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Child Rights, said on Wednesday that plans were afoot to bring children out of their addiction to mobile phones and study its impact on their mental and physical health.

Addressing a press conference here, he said 10 teams involving psychiatrists, social workers, doctors and parents have been formed to conduct the study for three months.

He said the teams will collect opinions from around 300 resource persons about the adverse effects of mobile phone use on children and their creativity. Remedial measures will be implemented in the next three years.

Role of community

Expressing concern over the increasing cybercrime due to the use of mobile phones by children, he said the focus will be on community participation to prevent it.

The comprehensive growth of children is possible through mental and physical work, Gowda said.

Committees will be formed at the village level in rural areas and ward level in urban governing bodies to create awareness among the people about punishments prescribed in cases of rape of children and marriages of minors, he said.

Local committees

"Committees at the village level for the protection of children will be strengthened. Officials of various departments should bring children employed in dhabas, hotels and other business establishments to the mainstream through coordinated efforts. The taluk-level committees headed by tahsildars will monitor atrocities on children," he said.

Bus services

Gowda said suo motu cases will be lodged against the road transport corporation concerned if adequate bus services are not provided for schoolchildren, especially in the rural areas due to the heavy rush after the launch of the Shakti scheme that allows women to travel free.

He said that he will send a recommendation to the transport minister about plying KSRTC buses exclusively for rural students to reach school.