Ups and downs for Yamuna's children

By Anjali Malhotra

NEW DELHI, AUG. 8. ``Splash!''.... From a daunting height, straight into 23-foot-deep water. Five...ten...fifteen seconds later, clutching a coin in one hand, the little one emerges with a triumphant smile across his face....

To many it might sound like a feat, but for eight-year-old Bittoo -- name changed -- of Sanjay Amar Colony in downtown Yamuna Pushta here, this is a regular source of livelihood. The grand old Railway Bridge is his diving board and the Yamuna his treasure trove.

Challenging the waters of the river, which at the moment is fairly swift because of the monsoon, children as young as eight dive into the river from the bridge daily in search of coins. ``The height does not bother me. I just jump into the river, feel the earth below to look for coins,'' says Bittoo.

``I hurt my foot while swimming,'' says eleven-year-old Babloo, displaying an inch-long gash across his foot. But he continues to climb the thick pillars of the bridge which substitute for a ladder to reach the ``springboard''.

Besides ``coin diving'', these children have evolved several other innovative ways to supplement the family income. Open sewers present one such opportunity. Children drag magnets attached to a long stick through the sewers scouting for bits of iron. ``My brother and I set out at 5 every morning. We collect whatever iron pieces we find and sell them to a `kabaadiwalla'. We get Rs. 5 for a kg,'' says Babloo.

Coconuts floating on the river offer another opportunity to make money. ``If I am lucky, I find coconuts floating in the river. I sell them at half the market price, usually Rs. 5 apiece,'' says 12-year-old Ramu.

And now the monsoon has brought with it the prospect of fishing. A good catch is an occasion for celebration. Lack of fishing nets is compensated by using ``dupattas'' and mosquito nets. If none of these work, begging is the last resort.

This is a way of life for almost all the kids living in the area. From a young age, children have to fend for themselves and adopt responsibilities of their families. As they grow older, few are able to resist the temptation to make a quick buck through crime. Working for rehabilitation of such children is `Navjyoti Project', an initiative of the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi. Its aim is to not only teach the children but also inculcate social values to draw them back into society's mainstream.

``Most children are bitter and harbour strong resentment towards society which is so `unequal'. They do not get love and support from their parents who are often involved in petty crime. If this bitterness is not checked, it leads to deviant behaviour. We try to forge a bond with the children so that they feel they are a part of society,'' explains the Project Manager, Ms. Shakira Scolt.

But the task is not easy. As Mr. Sonu Khan, a teacher with Navjyoti, says: ``Most parents do not allow their children to come to our centres. Instead they want to send the children out to earn money. We have to be persistent.''

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Other States
Next     : WLL connections for dead phones