woho here i did ma first call to 1098, the child help line which was opened with lot of fan fare. I don’t know much to comment about its track record. What really made me make this call was a kid cursing the staff out @a hotel in Nungambakkam, Chennai. The kid with a shaven head, had what it looked like tears rolling down his cheeks, and he was murmuring, what i don’t know, but he was not happy, that much I can say. I thought of calling then and there, was not sure of the number and didn’t wanna attract attention. Now also am not sure to what extend the complaint works out, nor i know the complications involved. Am also, while typing this down chatting with one of ma friend who works for AidIndia (an NGO), anyways lets see what happens, if @all anything happens. The call center girl didn’t sound a bit at all worried, just said we will inform the concerned people, I hope she does, they are supposed to act fast! It seems I cold call and check back now that’s what I should be doing! In fact I have seen kids work at lot of hotels, it never clicked me it was just a call away DAMN! hoping for the best! I guess I would have to go back to the hotel and check again! Just the first step took time now i know what to do! :p lemme see if it would be of any use of
checking back tonight!
I had thought that child labour was actively checked, didn’t know it was so an open thing! I still don’t understand how these kids end up working there, I guess I gotta shed ma corporate life to know it properly, I always wanted to! Hopefully someday! I still am not sure of what I must be doing in life!
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UPDATE – Time 11.05 p.m IST
I went to the same place for dinner, just to see if any change would be visible. I had to drag ma friend to that place, cos he was not keen of having veg food., and also he was advocating the logic of “the kid might be the bread earner for the family, you are just hurting a whole family”, but I told him am not gonna listen to his arguments. anyways we ordered food., firstly I just saw an kid, who is was not too was a kid, anyways I had all ma eyes focused towards the kitchen, one by one I saw the faces I could recollect, but still not sure if they where under aged, I ordered more food just so that my eyes could keep looking, and it didn’t go waste actually, I saw the face I had been waiting for, the bald kid, whose eyes I had seen filled, whose eyes had motivated me to call. I spoke to ma friend again, she asked me if I called 1098, and checked up again, they are supposed to give me exact information, and she promised me if it’s not gonna be helpful, she would make the required calls. Anyways after getting out of that place I again place the call ….tring tring… I tell them that I had called up in the evening and placed a complaint…I see no action taken, they asked me to repeat and then I realized they were not able to keep track of what exactly I was saying…so here I had to repeat everything in my beautyfully crafted broken Tamil (:p) ..and what answer do I get for ma dismay (felt like a doomsday)
Agent – “sir we will take action”
Me – “yeah, but when? I had called up in the evening, and I see the kids out there still?’
Agent – “sir we will take action, we have to make a team up for action”
Me – ” yes, but when?”
Agent – “@least 2 weeks” (I don’t know if I heard it right)
Me – @least 2 weeks?? (wow I felt mad to have called them up)”
Agent – One week sir, we have to get the team ready, it will take time”
Me – “okay, thanks”
What do I to them? they are just call agents’ now I know nothing in India actually works fast, even if it is meant to be. I had to cut the call, cos it was hust not cool on there part’ I gotta inform ma friend about this, so that she can get the right channels to work.Hmmm..
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¡ʍouʞ ʇouuɐɔ uosɐǝɹ ʇɐɥʇ suosɐǝɹ sʇı sɐɥ ʇɹɐǝɥ ǝɥʇ˙˙˙ןıssoɟ
