MUMBAI, June 11: For prostitutes in the city's numerous brothels, being rescued has become something of a nuisance because freedom does not bring them anything in terms of economic and social rehabilitation.

Former deputy municipal commissioner and crusader G R Khairnar and the V P Road police realised this on Sunday when they were literally hounded out by brothel girls whom they were trying to persuade to return to their native places. This sort of thing had happened earlier too.

In a meeting held recently, senior government officials and social workers had bluntly told deputy commissioner of police Param Bir Singh not to launch rescue missions for prostitutes anymore.

Members of the Juvenile Welfare Board, the state Women and Child Welfare Department and representatives of several voluntary organisations told the police that the purpose of raids on brothels is defeated since there are no provisions to house and rehabilitate the prostitutes.

Lack of supportive government agencies and social security schemes has condemned an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 child prostitutes to a life of virtual slavery in the brothels across the city.

Almost 16 months after the first lot of child prostitutes was rescued from city brothels, the state government has failed to evolve a strategy to check trafficking in women and girls. Neither has any plan been made to resettle them after freeing them.

Following an order by High Court Chief Justice M B Shah and Justice A V Sawant on February 7, 1996, raids were conducted on many brothels in the city's red-light districts. The court had directed that minor and adult girls illegally confined should be released, using force if necessary.Over 450 minor girls were Prostitutes' rescue may be more bane than boon rescued. But life for them thereafter was as miserable in the five shelter homes, where they were housed in completely unhygienic conditions, denied adequate food, clothing and provided with no vocational training.After a considerable amount of delay, the Maharashtra government managed to send eighty-eight of them to Karnataka, 31 to Andhra Pradesh, 38 to Chennai, and a group of 200-odd Nepali girls was sent to Kathmandu.It's usually believed that once the girls are sent back to where they hail from, they would be all right. But no thought is given to the social boycott they face back home. When contacted, Khairnar said, "There is no question of rehabilitation as we send them back to their families. "If they are in the profession willingly, we will not interfere. But if the government fails, I will arrange for the prostitutes' accommodation."

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.