Arunachal Women’s Welfare Society demand urgent action against minor girls trafficking

The members of Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society met Deputy Commissioner, Itanagar capital region Shweta Nagarkoti Mehta, IAS, and submitted a representation requesting urgent action to combat the trafficking of minor girls.

Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society, as an apex women's organization dedicated to safeguarding the rights and welfare of women and girls within the community is concerned regarding a recent incident that has brought to light the alarming issue of trafficking of minor girls for illegal activities within our Itanagar Capital Region. 

The gravity of this situation necessitates immediate and decisive action to address the root causes and prevent further exploitation of vulnerable individuals.

Further, the Arunachal Women’s Welfare Society also submitted the following points to the administration:

1. Immediate Cancellation of Licenses: We strongly advocate for the immediate cancellation of the licenses of hotels and beauty parlours found to be involved in facilitating illegal activities, particularly those related to the trafficking of minor girls. This swift action will serve as a deterrent and signal our zero-tolerance policy towards such reprehensible practices.

2. Implementation of Stringent Measures: It is imperative to implement stringent measures to prevent the recurrence of such heinous incidents. We recommend the mandatory production of identity cards from all guests upon check-in at hotels, coupled with the submission of a daily guest entry log to both the District Administration and the Superintendent of Police for thorough scrutiny and proper verification. These measures will enhance oversight and accountability, thereby deterring illicit activities and ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable individuals, particularly minor girls.

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3. Proper Verification of Beauty Parlour and Other Parlours: Proper verification of beauty parlour and other parlour licenses ensures compliance with regulations and standards. Those parlours operating without licenses and may be engaging in such unscrupulous activities as prostitution must be immediately shut down.

4. Strengthening Checkpoints: In addition to measures within hotel premises, we emphasize the importance of enhancing security measures at all entry and exit points within the district. This includes thorough checking at key checkpoints such as the Banderdewa check gate, Gumto check gate, and Hollongi check post. Heightened vigilance and stringent enforcement at these checkpoints are essential to intercepting and deterring individuals engaged in trafficking and other illegal activities.

We believe that swift and decisive action in implementing these recommendations will send a strong message of our collective commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of women, young girls, and children within our Itanagar Capital Region. We stand ready to collaborate with the District Administration and law enforcement authorities to ensure the effective implementation of these measures and contribute to the eradication of trafficking and exploitation.

After meeting DC, ICR, the team went to the Itanagar Municipal Corporation office to meet the Commissioner, IMC. The team could not meet him due to a prior engagement; however, they met his officer and submitted a copy of the representation to him.

The team also met Rohit Rajbir Singh, SP, Itanagar Capital Region, lauded him, and also extended support.