Run away around

Passerby shades

Wide and tall, it witnesses many souls around

Scared thread across, it encompasses  mortals heir

Withering in storm, it is passerby shades 

Standing alone, it live to see lives many

Pond beside, is filled with nature gifts

The bosoms around, are never passionately looked upon

Children plays entire day, none to scold and call on

Concerns never drown anyone, all happy and gay

Fresh and clean, the pond is life of the lives surround

Festive is in the air, blessed with internal bliss

The baby goats run on the mound, tired, sit under the tree

Mound guards the pond from all sides, is the evening place 

Villagers working in town, rush to sit around till dusk

They watch their cattle graze, coming from far on their own 

Few remains till midnight, to watch the fireflies dance 

At first light of morn, the birds sing their song

With spring, its leaves are back again 

Sheds it few branches, gives space for new chain

Dry not any more, the peepal tree is alight and live

New faces all over, many lives just arrive 

You groped her, You are Lutyens’ police

You groped her though you took oath to save her
You tore her apart, promising to protect her
You raped the honour, the dignity, the innocence, she wore
Wearing Khaki, you breached the trust bestowed upon you

What was her fault, what was she doing

Standing far way, she was just holding a pen, a note book
Busy taking notes about the incident, while on duty
Neither she asked for anything nor she made any complaint
Quietly she capturing the act of violence in words and in lens
She was there, every was aware, and it was her right

You realized situation went out of your hand
You found her standing alone, weak
You ran towards her staring at her chest 

You pressed her right breast and pushed her back

Agast! She saw herself then beaten
Not by just one, but by several others
When looked around, another fellow was also down
Surrounded by dozen of Khaki puppets, she was in tears and pain
Holding her breath, she kept begging to spare her
When she almost lost her breath, she was left alone  

You in pride, your masters gave a pat on the arm
You did a great job, would be recommended for awards
You paid a lot to be where you are 

You are a brave heart, you are Lutyens’ police 


-- Sumit Kumar Singh

The eyes I remember every moment of my life

The eyes I remember every moment of my life, 

the eyes that keep me awake every second, 

the eyes I am dying to encounter it again, 

the eyes that speak speechlessly to me, 

the eyes that haunt me in the crowd, 

the eyes that shiver my spine,

the eyes that make me complete, 

the eyes that I am scared of, 

the eyes that took away me from myself,

the eyes that reflected the angelic rays… 

Now left me all alone

Friends for ever

When winds were blowing,
We were holding each other's hand,

When it was raining, we were drenched,
Laughing at each other,

The sky was roaring, exposing us,

The trees were laughing, hinting us,

The flowers were smiling, ignoring us,

The sea waves were scaring, drowning us,

When things were bad,
We felt for each other,

When days were gone, 

We missed for each other.

Every day, I wonder this is what I wanted

Every day I wonder, this is want I wanted

Thinking of reply, I always get restive

The more I muse, The more I get blank

And truth remains same, I don’t want any more


Walking on streets while my heart is somewhere away

Going to office, and leading indiscipline disciplined life

Meeting acquaintances and engrossed in daily chores

Amidst the callousness and everything seems colorful

Talking and chanting, days, months and years go by

Heartedly kicking and running, fighting for own space

Sink with all and fly with some, it’s all time event

Going down, again climbing, is what we see around

Pushing, coercing the great master teaches to live with

The world around looks to be divine place to go on

When no one is around longing for left out is no more

It is all black and you are no more what you are 


No more, I wonder want I wanted to be

I think no more, I am no more restive

It’s all blank and I can’t see what I have to

Long lost, now no ways left to find what I want

Drug abuse by Children in Delhi

Children are falling prey to drugs menace in Delhi.  Over 70,000 children live on the capital’s streets and overwhelming majority of them addicted to different kinds of drugs - from smack, brown sugar to cannabis. If they are unable to get these slightly high priced drugs, the worst follows. They start consuming inhalants like ink eraser fluid, petrol, iodex and glue or go for pharmaceuticals drugs like tablets, cough syrups and injections. This is leading to a new trend in the national capital. The children are found taking cocktails of drugs through injections and often sharing the same needle which increases their vulnerability to HIV infection.

Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Union Minister of Women and Child Development, in a reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on July 23 stated that her ministry has not made any estimate about the number of street children in Delhi. However, a rapid assessment survey of children on city streets carried out by Don Bosco National Forum for the Young at Risk – a forum working on street children and youngsters -- has come to the notice of the government. As per the aforesaid survey, the number of street children in New Delhi is 69,976. 

“69,976 are living on streets in Delhi and out of it, majority to them are into substance abuse,” Father Koshy Thomas, the Executive Director, Don Bosco National Forum for the Young at Risk, said. He said they did a study and submitted it to Union Ministry of Women in Child Development in 2013.  

Witnessing that the crime committed by children in a bid to satisfy the urge drugs is growing at large scale in the national capital, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) carried about a detailed study on the “Substance Abuse by Children in Delhi” in June this year, however, they too did not had the estimated figures of children subject to drug abuse in Delhi.
The commission, carried out survey, of Children in need of care and protections, who are living in child care institutions, Children in Conflicts with Law, living in Observation Homes and Children living in community and streets, who are coming to Open Shelters off and on.

As per the study, the average age of children consuming substance is 13.7 years. It is found that 100 percent of children in conflict with law are drug abuser, 95.5 percent of children staying in child care institutions are drug abuser and 93 percent on street are consuming drugs. “Highest number of children consuming drugs is school drop outs,” the report stated. Interestingly, the study also states that 88 percent of children got addicted to drugs due to “peer pressure”.  One of the shocking figure states that 57 percent of street children is consuming drugs for more than five years. “Cannabis and inhalants are highest abusing substances by street children,” stated the report adding that 56 percent of street children are shows willingness to quit habit of substance abuse.
Several other studies have been conducted to find out the harmful impact of substance on children and other associated problems. In one such study in 2008 conducted by a non government organization CHETNA, there are around 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh street children in the capital and almost 80 percent of them are involved in substance abuse.

In 2011, another non-government organization Bachpan Bachao Andolan carried out a survey and found that 50,000 children lives on the street and majority of them are into substance abuse.
The Department of Women and Child Development of Delhi Government made a note of the figure stated by these organisations and decided to carry out a complete mapping of the national capital to get the clear picture of exact numbers children involved drugs. The department is process to give the task to a professor Dr Anju Dhawan of All India Institute of Medical Sciences to carry out a detailed study in this regards. 
Assistant Director at Department of Women and Child Development S C Vats said, “Around 90 percent of children living on city streets are consuming substance abuse. So we have planned to carry out exact assessment of the problem.”  The officer said that places like Yamuna Bazar, Red Fort, Chandani Chowk, Jama Masjid,  Connaught Place, Railway Stations and Bus stops and depots, East and North East Delhi Pusta  roads,  Slums clusters in Jahangirpuri  and Nand Nagri are filled with children living on stress and consuming drugs.
Till date, the department had been receiving around five to six calls per day from parents or family members of the children and college students about their son or daughter suffering from drugs addicts or call from people about children residing on the city streets consuming drugs.
Recently, mother of a 14-year-old Vikram Kumar (name changed) called Department of Women and Child Development of Delhi Government and sought information about de-addiction centers in Delhi.
Two months ago, Vikram Kumar started behaving oddly. Normally quite a talkative boy, Vikram, started keeping to himself. On returning home from school, he would straight go to his room and remain locked there for hours at a stretch. Two months ago, his mother, an IT professional received a call from the counsellor at Vikram’s school in central Delhi. The counsellor told her that Vikran has become unresponsive in class. One day Vikram was out, the mother searched his room and found three empty bottles of white solvent in his school bag. She called the counsellor and told her that his son was into substance abuse.
Vikram is not the only one. Many children belong from high-end as well as from lower-end income family background have become victim of substance abuse in Delhi, apart from street children. While some of these children are rehabilitated and detoxified, many take to crime to meet their urge for drugs.
On July 18, two children were apprehended along with four others for committing gruesome murder of two brothers, including a security guard, and robbery at the Delhi United Christian Senior Secondary School near Raj Niwas. These children were street kids and were drug addicts and they came in contact with four small time petty criminals, who were also drug addicts.  On July 14, when these people and children were unable to get rob any victim ISBT Kashmiri Gate, one of the apprehended juvenile suggested that they can get a good sum of money by burgling the cash chest located in the Principal’s office of this school. This juvenile had been associated with the school in past and he knew its topography. All of them went inside, killed the security guard and his brother and robbed Rs 24,000.
Similarly, on July 20, a juvenile was apprehended for assault and murder of a gardener at abandoned farm house in Fatehpur Beri He used to work in beverage godown in Fatehpur Beri and during night hours used to stay inside the farmhouse. On July 20, he came and demanded money from security guard of the farm house. When he refused, the juvenile started abusing them which led to a scuffle.  During scuffle, the boy picked up one empty beer bottle lying nearby and assaulted the security guard on his head repeatedly, who fell down, the boy snatched mobile phone and ran away from spot. After he was arrested, the police came to know that the boy was asking money from the security guards for drugs.  
The chair person of DCPCR Arun Mathur said, “The substance abuse by children is a matter of concern and need to be addressed on immediate basis.  But first of all we have to analyze the size and dimension of the problems and then can the government come up with a solution.”

Mathur also said that the state government should carry out mapping of the children affected by the substance abuse and assessment of the nature of the menace. “It should also found out where in national capital the children are more prone to the drugs. Thereafter, the government can think of de-addiction and rehabilitations,” he said.
In 2013, the Department of Women and Child Welfare and Directorate of Education had identified 98 government schools as vulnerable, where instances of substance abuse were observed or were located in localities that facilitate abuse. The government has drawn up a list of 250 schools,  including 152 run by Municipal Corporations, in areas such as Mehrauli, Chhatarpur, Badarpur, Mahipalpur, Rohini, Civil Lines, Jahangirpuri, Old Delhi, Seelampur and Sultanpuri.  The study was carried after they received several complaints that drugs were easily sold outside the school premises.
 
Crime
This year, three students aged between 12 and 14 of government school confessed that for last one year they were involved in thefts and were buying drugs.  One of the three children, on February 2 was found unconscious state on a street near his home in East Delhi. The neighbour informed the student’s parents and during inquiry, he confessed that he was consuming drugs for last two years along with the two friends and have started committing crime.  Last year, the Delhi Police received a complaint that children who take drugs in the open can create a menace for women and all other people passing by the area in Connaught Place in the heart of the national capital. The police identified 24 children in Connaught Place area and they were subsequently sent to Children Home.

How the drug peddlers operates
The drug peddlers generally operate in nearby slum clusters adjoining prominent schools and colleges and their main target is to entrap the students. They first lure students, who smokes cigarette, to consume drugs almost free of cost and when they get addicts, they asked them to join their group and force them to sell drugs to their classmates and school mates. Once “drug-addict student” agrees to sell contrabands to his classmate – new student, the main drug peddlers then tries to entrap this student. They will call him over the phone posing as police officers and will threaten to him of arresting him and exposing him in front of the school and parents. In fear, the student agrees to meet the drug peddler. During meeting, the drug peddler starts extorting money on monthly basis depending on the background of the student. They also force the student to sell drugs to girls. Later, these drug peddlers entrap the girls in prostitution and flesh trade. Such incidents are happening outside few prominent schools and colleges in the national capital. 

Comorbidity in Substance abuse
The substance abuse is a mental health concern. The report indicates that children have a higher risk of developing mental disorder. Conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are generally disorders found among the children consuming drugs. Apart from that, needle sharing among injectable drug users increases their vulnerability towards HIV infection.

Government schemes
The government is taking several measures to prevent substance abuse by children including services for rehabilitation of addicts.  However, rehabilitation mechanism for substance abusing children is a grey and neglected area. “There is not a single de-addiction for the children specific in the national capital,” said Mathur.  In Delhi there are seven government detoxification centres and only four non government organizations – Manav Propkari Sansthan, Samaj Sewa Sangh, Bhartiya Parivarthan Sansthan and Society for promotion of Youth and masses -- are being approved and financed by the government to run such centers. However, these centers are not children specific and they have to be exposed to adults’ treatment.
The child and welfare department requested Delhi Health Services to open detoxification centres ate government hospitals for children but it was turned down citing that hospitals are already in under pressure due to massive footfall and lack of beds.
However, government claims that they are rigorously implementing the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 which prohibits selling of tobacco products to person below the age of 18 years and in places within 100 metre radius from the outer boundary of an institution of education, which includes school colleges and institutions of higher learning established or recognized by an appropriate authority.
The Women and Child Development ministry is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme - Integrated Child Protection Scheme -- for children in difficult circumstances, including children who are victims of substance abuse. Under this scheme, financial assistance is provided to state governments and union territories administrations for setting up and maintenance of various types of Homes, including, Shelter Homes, Open shelters. These homes provide inter-alia, shelter, food, education, medical attention, vocational training and counseling to such children so that they can ultimately reintegrate into the mainstream society.
ENDS