Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 12: At least 66 children have ended their lives in Kerala since the Covid-19 lockdown began on March 25 with youngsters facing stress unable to bear the unprecedented situation where schools are shut and friends are out of reach to share their woes.
According to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, there has been an increasing instance of suicidal tendencies among children in the state due to various reasons, including parents scolding them over mobile phone use and failure to attend online classes.
This has prompted the government to launch a teleconsultation facility for children facing stress and also cautioning parents against hurting their sentiments while being concerned about welfare of their wards. It has also ordered a study into the issue. "Among the children an increasing instance of suicidal tendency is being witnessed which will become an extremely serious social issue.
Since March 25, when the national lockdown was imposed, 66 children, below 18 years of age, have ended their lives due to various reasons", Vijayan said. A mother scolding her child for not attending the ongoing online classes, or a parent questioning a child for downloading a sleazy video on the smartphone or the constant rift between the parents were among the reasons which triggered the suicidal tendency, he said on Saturday.
As the schools have not yet re-opened due to the lockdown, the children are unable to meet their friends and share their problems. Vijayan said though the parents were intervening keeping in mind their child's welfare, it was essential to ensure that the young minds were not hurt in the process. To helpthe children facing issues relating to mental pressures, 'Chiri'atele-counselling initiative has been started by the government under its Our Responsibility to Children Programme (ORC), a planned community intervention that connects with people between the age of 12-18 years. The state health department has also launched "Ottakalla Oppamundu" (You are not alone,we are with you) programmeto help children facing any kind of mental distress and to prevent the suicidal tendencies among them.
Health Minister K K Shailaja said under the psychosocial support assistance, her department has so far reached out to 68,814 children and 10,890 children have been given counselling. The changes in the behaviour of their children should be noted by the family members and if they find something amiss, the district psychosocial help desk should be informed, she said. A 15-member team of Students Police Cadets will be constituted in each of the 14 districts to help the children needing any assistance,police sources said. Education should not be a competition, but a means to gain knowledge, Vijayan said.
A society's future lies with the children and it is the duty of the society and the government to ensure their physical and mental well being. Taking a serious view of the situation, the state government has constituteda committee headed byFire and Rescue Services DGP R Sreelekha to conduct a study on child suicides in the state. The aim of the ORC was also to create a multi collaborative platform for government and professional agencies, parents and teachers to equip youth with appropriate know-how to face challenges, officials said.
Comments
Well Done Dr. Zakir Naik. We had enough of this media misrepresenting the facts to please the people who are in power & spread the hate in common man, and help the fulfillment of the Hidden agenda of the corrupt politicians. Thanks for taking this great step. A peace loving man of any religion will support you...... Insha Allah Victory will be yours.
Please watch his team member junaid khan recent interview about his income and behavior with others
Even his conversion is well planned drama
This bussiness is much better than dargah bussiness
It is good that the media houses are being sued for defamation. Media should stop slandering and making false stories against people. Only when an FIR / case is registered, should they break the story.
This has been going on for such a long time and a stop has to be put. Arnab Goswami and his type have taken a beating out of this case. Even the government has lost a lot of credibility because of this case.
As per naik media aired his videos which are out of context to mislead the people!!!!!!
If so my question is then why zakir naik blind followers are urging other people to watch his videos in youtube if dey are out off context?...as per his followers if some1 converts to islam after watching his videos then its good for socity if he becomes terrorist den its out of context...hahaha
Shame on RSS agent Arnab Go cow swami,
you will not come up'' time will come your realy face will come out and public will spit your face,for money and power not lift up god know the reality and he is the planer.
Well done.. WE ARE WIth U Dr. Zakir Naik...
People are Fooled since decades with manipulating the facts and presenting to the public...
Presenting news with suits and ties and make up doesnt make anybody Good and Trust worthy... We should look at who is behind it... there are many corporations who play with the minds of people... who lobby all this evil propagands even the cheddis have fallen to this category.
We should teach this decievers a lesson...
But ALLAH has power over all things... Those who know ALLAH, will never be in FEAR of any situation.. May ALLAH make us one of them.. it is the greatest blessing from the CREATOR of all the Exists.
Insha Allah, you will suceed Zakir Saab, These dogs like Arnab gooo sami, Naren should be taught a lesson for ever...... WELL DONE. WE WISH GOOD LUCK....
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