November 04, 2007	Sunday	Shawwal 22, 1428

RAWALPINDI, Nov 3: The City District Government (CDG) will launch a campaign to rescue children from scavenging and provide them free of cost education along with stipend.

“In this regard, the CDG would hire contractors who would hire adult scavengers,” said District Coordination Officer (DCO) Irfan Elahi on Saturday while chairing the 3rd meeting of District Coordination Committee (DCC) on this issue.

Executive District Officers (EDOs) from health, education , finance, literacy, district officer (DO) social welfare, labour, zakat and ushr and representatives of Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) attended the meeting.

The DCO said the hired contractors would be responsible for the drive in specific jurisdictions. They may take away re-usable items from the garbage and the rest would be disposed of.

The DCO asked the Executive District Officer (Municipal Services) to assist the ITA and provide two separate bins in each house of Dhok Hassu for disposing of organic and inorganic materials separately.

He asked the EDO (health) to take steps for disposing of the hospital waste and take away wastes from the private hospitals, provide dust-bins there and then dispose them of free of cost.

He said that it should also be ensured that used syringes are broken and not recycled.

The DCO said that proper guidance should be provided to the people with the cooperation of Union Council to ensure better solid waste management. The social pressure is the best way to overcome this particular problem, he maintained.

He sought further idea for the success of this project saying it is on your part to float the idea, we would implement it after seeing pros and cons.

Project Coordinator ITA, Imtiaz Nizami gave a detailed briefing to the DCO about the ongoing projects of the organisation to eliminate child labour and ensure free education to them.

It was told that ten drop-in centres are being run by the ITA and free of cost education is being provided to the scavengers with focus on reducing the drop-out rate.

He said that families and siblings of these rag picking children are also supported and capacity building of teachers is also done to ensure their participation.—APP