Child Rights

Tender shoulders carry Jammu’s burden 

Hundreds of children are working silently to preserve soil, though unknowingly, by collecting non-biodegradable refuse of the entire city and making a living out of it

Ashutosh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Jammu, June 4 


While a child of the age of Mohd Rizvaan might not be aware of any burden other than the schoolbag, but for him it’s different. Everyday he carries a dirty bag filled with rusted scrap, empty bottles, plastic and rubber pieces or anything discarded by people that fetches him livelihood from scrap dealers.

LOST CHILDHOOD: (from right) Mohd Rizvaan, Mohd Yousaf and Mustafa Kamal segregate scrap at Narwal bypass near Bhatindi in Jammu; and a boy (right) and a girl (below) on their way to scrap dealer after day’s work. Photos: Inderjeet Singh (http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100605/jkplus.htm#1) Child beggar turns ‘innovative’ to earn more  Ashutosh Sharma Tribune News Service Nata begs for alms in Jammu. Photo: Inderjeet Singh Jammu, May 15 In the age of cutthroat competition, one could hardly afford to continue with the traditional approach. The concept, survival of the innovative, seems to have replaced Darwin’s existential theory, “survival of the fittest”. Take for instance, the case of this child beggar, named Nata (tiny). Earlier, he used to earn just Rs 30-40 on a daily basis. He says, “Every passerby had to bend for putting a penny into my bowl. People might be feeling embarrassed bowing before a beggar in tattered clothes. So I decided to do something creative”. It was only after that he stumbled upon an idea. Nata decided to add extra feet to add to his actual height of 3 ft. With the help of his uncle, he tied two bamboo canes, each measuring 8 ft to his each leg, and this way he attained the height of 10 ft. He also learned how to walk on bamboo sticks. There is no looking back since then. He has been earning well but life has become a tight ropewalk for this boy. “It needs a lot of practice, my uncle helped me a lot to win over this art. One has to be cautious on his left and right while moving on jostling gypsy roads, flooded with gnawing, screeching and honking vehicles. Besides, there is always a threat from loosely hung electric wires,” he says. But there is one thing he is happy about. “A little smart work has enabled me to earn well. People get stunned looking at me, catch their breathe in awe… whip out their wallets… flick out note or coins and put into my bowl with a whiff of happiness. I don’t have to make entreaties”. “They keep their heads high while donating,” he grins while denying coming down as, “It is easy to climb down but it takes a long time to scale height”. Nata strongly believes that others of his cult would also catch up with the idea and enhance their income through such innovations. As of now, Nata with his newly attained bizarre height has become a talk of the town. (http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090516/jkplus.htm#4)