Kerala: Projects fail to trace missing children

Alappuzha: Several operations such as   ‘Vatsalya’ and ‘Smile’ launched in the state to trace out missing children have not been fully effective  due to lack of  follow-up action.   The whereabouts of at least 86 children who went missing  last year are unknown.  In the last 30 days alone, 47 cases were registered, according to ‘Track Child 2.0’ website. The social justice department had launched  the district-based ‘Operation Vatsalya’ in association with the Child Protection Unit, Child Welfare Committee and Childline in 2015 to trace the  missing children and help  them join their parents.

The ‘Operation Smile,’   initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs,    was set up under the deputy superintendent of police, Crime Records Bureau, in every district. A police officer connected with ‘Vatsalya’ says the operation needs  exclusive teams to retain accuracy.  No follow-up is being done for  both operations, he said.

The total number of cases of missing children across the country registered with the portal is  2,997. Out of  this,  only 2,122 children were traced. The High Court had criticised the government’s lethargy in  child-missing cases in August last year and  directed the director-general of police to inform it  how many children aged below 15 had been reported missing in the state in the last three years. According to child rights activists, neither     ‘Operation Smile’ nor ‘Vatsalya’ is currently active in the state.