Balasore: Notwithstanding a host of schemes such as Sarva Sikhya Abhiyan, free uniforms and mid-day meal being implemented to ensure universal primary education, scores of children have remained deprived of education in Remuna block of this district due to grinding poverty.
In Ganipur panchayat, children aged 8-9 years venture out of their homes every morning with bows, arrows, catapults and other implements to hunt wild rodents, a report said.
Their days are spent in bushy and forested areas on their village outskirts hunting cranes, water fowls, mice, doves, pigeons, squirrels and mongooses. When their bags are full, they return home in the evening.
When asked about the reason for killing animals and birds, some children said, “Most of the time we hunt birds and animals and return home in the evening. Our families survive on these animals.”
Though hunting of wild animals is prohibited, these children have no way but to kill them for survival.
Child protection units and child welfare committees are functioning in all districts of the state, but these measures, it appears, are of no use for these children of lesser Gods, said some conscious citizens.
Chairperson of the district child welfare committee Lina Panighrahi, said, “A number of measures are being taken for child labourers and neglected children. But the labour department has not formed a special taskforce to trace such children.” PNN
