Chennai: Southern Railway and Railway Children of India (RCI), an NGO that works for street children, together felicitated about 15 PRF personnel and 22 commercial staff for their contribution for protection of children at a function held at Southern Railway headquarters here on Wednesday.
The ceremony was jointly organised by RCI and Railway Protection Force (RPF). Southern Railway General Manager R K Kulshrestha felicitated the staff along with Additional General Manager P K Mishra, RPF Principal Chief Security Commissioner Birendra Kumar, Strategic Alliance Manager Sanjay Tiwari, Railway Children NGO and other invitees.
According to a data revealed by the RPF, in 2015 about 574 children were rescued by the RPF. In 2016, 615 children were rescued, while in 2017, about 905 children were rescued. In the current year, upto September, about 1020 children have been rescued by RPF.
The awarded staff were those who personally took initiatives and involved themselves in rendering outstanding contribution for protection of children at railway stations.
RCI is an NGO that works along with the Government and Indian Railway authorities. The NGO is actively involved in bringing sustainable changes in the lives of children at risk at railway stations and on the streets. Currently, they have been implementing an outreach programme on child protection at four railway stations.
Through this programme, the Southern Railway in coordination with the NGO identified, rescued and rehabilitated about 1914 children between June 2017 to May 2018.
A guidebook for creating a child friendly and protective environment for children in contact with Railways has also been prepared by RCI in association with National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and is distributed for the guidance of Railway personnel.