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.
The accused has been identified as Chidananda Acharya (48), a resident of Perla and proprietor of a jewellery workshop.
Comments
i want ask the government...the apex ,the judges (honorable)of hcourt civil court, and above i want all my lawyer brothers, please dont e3ver play with your profession ,REMEMBER SOMEBODY WATCHING YOU 24 HRS ,YOU ALWAYS PRAY TO AND U HAVE SHARDHA, TRY PROVE THE TRUTH ... WHAT HE WILL GET OR SHOULD GET, OR WHETHER HE WILL RELEASE ON BAIL.... PEOPLE MAKE JUDGEMENT..THANKS.
inspired from whome? head of the department?
Rather than killing innocent and those who do hard work.. The GAU-RAKSHAHS should target such kind of CRIMINALs who deosnt recognise even a 6 year old child....
EVIL is cheddis agenda... which will effect the society in the near Future if we did not voice out or protest against increasing criminals in our society...
Stop arresting innocent and start arresting the Real criminals who are out of trained in NAGPUR....
Please chop his tool immediately, Na rahe ga bhans na bajege bansuri
This may be a fake news! For AUTHENTIC & CREDIBLE news, please check Notorious Coastal Kannada daily, sure this man had a challenge with his wife to molest the child, he did not have any bad intention as he is Deshpremi and proud son of Gomatha, and member of homo brigade. Before reaching the jail he might have secured bail.
Naren, which community does this bas...rd belongs to.... so don't ever target or point out particular religion and hurt the sentiments.
This is the true colour of these Gau Rakshaks
They don't respect women and yet talk of protecting animal
Eager to see if people from pump well ,kalladka and kotian stage protest
One more feather in the cap of so called Nationalists. Sad part is the law of the land turning blind, dumb and deaf towards these fringe organization. Its beyond ones imagination that why they are not yet banned.
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