Plan to save juveniles from falling into criminals’ hands

THOOTHUKUDI

THOOTHUKUDI

The district administration, in association with UNICEF, will draw a year-long plan to save juveniles in the district from falling into the hands of criminals and preventing minors from indulging in unlawful activities, Minister for Social Welfare P. Geetha Jeevan has said.

Addressing the one-day workshop held here on Tuesday for village panchayat heads on strengthening the village-level child protection committees, she said the number of minors indulging in crimes in Thoothukudi district was quite high as they were being misguided for the well being of criminals. Parents and teachers should keep a tab on their children and their contacts so as to groom them in the right way.

The district administration, on its part, was all set to organise comprehensive consultation with experts of UNICEF on July 21 at the Collectorate. The meeting would discuss the present situation prevailing in the district and finalise a strategy to prevent juveniles from getting involved in unlawful activities including consumption of liquor or use of banned tobacco products.

 “We hope that the year-long strategy to be designed and executed would effectively save the children from choosing the wrong way and reform the children in conflict with law,” Ms. Geetha said.

The minister exhorted the village panchayat presidents to ensure healthy and secure living conditions for the children and prevent child marriages in villages under their jurisdiction.

The school dropouts should be readmitted in schools as the dropouts could easily be misguided, she said.