13 September 2007
The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has told the Supreme Court that it was formulating a comprehensive scheme for prevention of human trafficking, rescue, rehabilitation and re-integration of victims of the human smuggling and commercial sexual exploitation activities.The Ministry, in its affidavit dated September 10, also told the apex court that the scheme proposed a component for rescue and provides for rescue operations and immediate relief to the rescued victims.
The Ministry has also submitted to the court that separate directions will to go to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs, as the Immoral Trafficking(Prevention) Act, 1956 is to be amended so that women and children rescued from brothels, redlight areas or from any other situation of prostitution will not be treated as criminals but as victims. A Bench, comprising Justice S B Sinha and Justice H S Bedi, directed all state governments to file their responses to the PIL on prevention of trafficking.(UNI)