Nagpur: Bleak future stares the Commercial Sex Workers (CSWs) as the Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar issued a fresh notification under Section 7(1)(B) of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act banning prostitution permanently in Nagpur’s Ganga-Jamuna (Red Light) area, media reports said.
However, the CP move evoked a strong protest from the sex workers as Diwali is around the corner and their livelihood is at the stake. Earlier, on August 11, the Commissioner of Police had curbed flesh trade at the Red Light area.
According to the media reports, in the latest move, the Top Cop has declared Balaji Mandir, Chinteshwar Mandir, Juni Mangalwari, Baba Kalimshah Dargah, Durga Devi Mandir, Sharda Devi Mandir, Radha Swami Satsang, Itwari, NMC Chinteshwar Primary School, Hindustan High School, Ganga-Jamuna Police Chowky and MSEDCL Office, Chinteshwar Branch as ‘public places.’ He banned prostitution within 200 metres of these ‘public places’ as per the law. Several offences were registered during the preceding five years under the Act for carrying out prostitution in or in the vicinity of these public places.
Earlier, the City Commissioner of Police had issued orders prohibiting prostitution in Ganga-Jamuna area for an initial period of 60 days on temporary basis and objections, if any, were called from the members of the public. Police received certain representations and objections. All objections and other representations were duly considered by Kumar and he personally discussed the matter with various stakeholders. Finally, Kumar issued a fresh notification banning prostitution in Ganga-Jamuna on a permanent basis. The notification would come into effect 90 days after its issuance.
The reports further said that the Red Light area is witnessing a deadlock as the sex workers are refusing police offer of rehabilitation with cops acting as facilitators. The sex workers insist on carrying out their flesh trade, while cops want complete stoppage such activities, sparking a unique conflict of interest situation at the age-old Ganga Jamuna area.
Some of the sex workers lamented that they have no means of livelihood now. They could not purchase new clothes for their children. Forget Diwali, they have no tomorrow.
The media report stated that the Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar has opened a single-window system for receiving applications from sex workers for their rehabilitation. Annaouncements were made for sex workers to come forward and seek support, but no one came forward. Police have made efforts to help these sex workers since the beginning of this action but none of them showed interest in anything other than illefgally pursuing flesh trade, the report said quoting the Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar.
“We have registered an offence following a complaint of a minor, narrating how she was trafficked here and sold for flesh trade. Such type of illegal activities would not be tolerated,” said the Top Cop.
