(Jan. 09, 2013) : IIn India, thousands of minors go missing each year in the eastern
state of West Bengal. They are either forced into prostitution or working at illegal
and underpaid jobs, living on the streets or sold by human traffickers. With 11,288
children missing out of a total of 32,342, West Bengal had the worst record in the
country in 2011. The numbers are only partial since many missing children are not
reported. Poverty and illiteracy are the main causes, especially in villages and
rural areas. In West Bengal's Jailapaiguri District for example, 1.9 million households
live on less than a dollar a day. To earn a little more money, parents end up selling
their children to placement agents, who promise to find them jobs in the big cities.
"For these families, sending children to work is the only way to survive," the deputy
superintendent of police in Darjeeling, told AsiaNews. Reynold Chhetri said traffickers
usually bring the children to cities like New Delhi, Mumbai and Gurgaon, after that,
parents never hear from them again. The children find employment as domestic help
or construction workers. In the case of girls, many end up as prostitutes; a few might
land a job as a maid in a wealthy family. On average, boys and girls working as domestic
help earn 12,000 rupees (US$ 220) a month; young prostitutes can earn up to 80,000
rupees (US$ 1,500). Fr Arul Dass, professor at Kolkata's Morning Star College
condemns this sordid situation. He says the government should take serious measures
to curb the problem. All children should find a safe refuge, where they can grow up
as responsible citizens which is their right, the priest said .