In an effort to bring slum and street children into the mainstream, the district administration has started organising special camps to provide them Aadhar cards, family IDs, health and other facilities.
The initiative aims to help these children get admission in schools and benefit from various government welfare schemes.
The administration has identified around 350 such children in the district. Camps are being organised at different locations to prepare their documents and connect them with education and healthcare services, for which, different departments including health, education, labour, red cross, CRID, child welfare and others have been roped in to actively participate in special camps.
In these special camps, doctors conduct health check-ups of children including blood pressure, weight, height and screening for diseases. Vaccination is also carried out for protection against serious illnesses.
“We have identified five locations where these special camps are being organised for the check-up of these children. All departments are working with good coordination to ensure these children would get all facilities which they deserve,” said Rahul Raiya, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) and nodal officer of this project.
On the second day of the campaign on Thursday, a special camp was organised near Shani Mandir on NH-44, children living in slum areas and vulnerable conditions attended the camp along with their parents.
As many as 113 children were registered during the camp. Aadhar cards of 15 children were prepared on the spot. As many as 30 children in the age group were found eligible for Anganwari centres, while 19 children between 6 and 15 years could be admitted to schools. Instructions have been issued to ensure their admission, he added.
Four children suffering from skin diseases and four with dental problems were referred to the civil hospital for treatment. Besides, 35 children were given iron and deworming medicines. Counselling sessions and awareness regarding HPV vaccine and HIV were also conducted.
Deputy Commissioner Dr Anand Sharma said the main aim of the campaign is to bring children living on streets, involved in begging or child labour, into the mainstream society.
“These children often remain deprived of education, healthcare and government schemes because they do not have identity documents. Through these camps, we are trying to ensure that every child gets proper support and opportunities,” said the DC.
Parents who attended the camp appreciated the initiative. “We did not know how to make Aadhar cards or get our children admitted to school. Officials helped us and explained everything,” said a woman from the slum area near Namaste Chowk.
The administration will organise more camps on May 18, near Pathak Hospital in Sector-12 and on May 20 and 21, at the New Community Centre in Sector-33.