Ever since the Perambalur district police launched the Kalviyum Kaavalum initiative in June last year, field-level police personnel have been visiting government, aided and private schools in the district sensitising children to a host of issues such as drug abuse, child marriage, and POSCO Act and its provisions.
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The session is held every Friday with police teams visiting schools scheduled for that week in their jurisdiction. In the last one year, the teams have made numerous visits to schools, sometimes more than once.
Perambalur district has eight law and order police stations and two All-Women Police Stations in Perambalur and Mangalamedu sub divisions. All police personnel from the rank of Deputy Superintendent and below have been instructed to visit the schools every week. The Superintendent of Police and the Additional Superintendents of Police also visit the schools.
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POCSO Act, child marriage, drug abuse, school dropout, drowning and the hazards of consumption of banned tobacco substances form the major topics of talks. The students are also educated about “good touch and bad touch” and report to the teachers or the police in case they faced sexual abuse from any one.
The ill effects of child marriage, which were reportedly higher in Perambalur district, are conveyed during the meetings. The importance of education and the causes of dropouts are covered. The focus is basically on children above Class VI, said the police sources.
During the interaction with children, the police teams make it a point to mention the helpline numbers and those of the district police control room, said the Superintendent of Police C. Shyamala Devi. The children were told about the roles and responsibilities of the police force, their day-to-day functioning, and the role of different police units, she added.