Berhampur: Human trafficking has acquired alarming proportions in various parts of south Odisha with Berhampur railway station becoming the transit point for such illegal activities, a report said.
The matter came to the fore after 1,304 persons while being illegally trafficked to other states, were rescued during last two and 10 months, a report said Saturday.
Reports said that middlemen lure poor and gullible people with false job promises and traffick them outside of the state. The illegal activities take place despite an anti-human trafficking unit (IAHTU) functioning in every district police headquarters.
Moreover, social welfare sections and Childline units functioning from each district collectorate have failed to crack down on such illegal trafficking.
The Berhampur railway station has become the transit point for illegal traffickers as it is the best place to travel to outside states. Rescue of hundreds of migrant workers including child labourers from the Berhampur railway station is a case in this point.
Sources said middlemen and agents fan out to various remote corners of south Odisha and lures poor and gullible persons with jobs. As a result, the poor and gullible persons are handing over their children to them to work in outside states with an expectation that their children will get employment.
Reports said these human trafficking rackets mostly target people living in remote corners of Ganjam, Gajapati and Phulbani districts. They first talk to parents and convince them that all their problems will be resolved if they send their children to work in various units outside the state.
Later, they produce fake identity cards where they increase the age of minor children to show them as majors and then they traffic them outside via Berhampur railway station.
Meanwhile, police and Childline units have intensified efforts and keep a close watch on traffickers leaving in trains from Berhampur railway station. However, the traffickers are too fast in dodging police as they have changed their strategies and learnt to be trafficking the labourers via Huma, Rambha, Balugaon, Rayagada, Icchapur and Palasa railway stations in recent days. They are trafficking from Berhampur railway station when find it safe.
When contacted, Abani Gaya, coordinator, Manav Adhikar Surakshya Manch, blamed the respective district administrations for the impasse. He said the district-level advisory committee meeting of the social welfare officers has not been held for last few years for which migration is rising at alarming rates in various corners of south Odisha.
Sudhir Sabat, director Childline said in each and every districts of South Odisha a minimum of five girls from every village are being trafficked outside of the state.
