Sex trade flourishes in Darjeeling

Saturday, April 26, 2008 (Darjeeling)
Porous borders along Nepal and Bangladesh have fuelled the growth of cross border trafficking in and around the tea estates in Darjeeling. And here intense poverty and unemployment, a deadly cocktail, has forced many to the flesh trade.The Maichi Bridge on the Bengal-Nepal border witnesses late hour rush as visitors on both sides rush back home before the borders shut down for the night.Besides the long lines of commodities waiting to be smuggled into India at the bridge are young men and women quietly pushing their business - soliciting for sex work.And security personnel are the usual clients.A few kilometers away is Khalpara, Siliguri's red light area where many teenagers from tea estates end up earning a livelihood for themselves and their families.''In north Bengal mainly Jalpaiguri most of the tea gardens are closed which has lead to poverty. Children also see others of their age coming from Delhi and earning so much and get attracted to that and try and go that way. And in this situation dalaals take them to brothels,'' said Mrinal Ghosh, member, Child Welfare Committee.But the money isn't so good there; the best options are tourists. With tourism picking up once again in the region, the onset of spring brings many young people to the hills.Once the season ends they disappear earning them the nickname of flying sex workers.''Prostitution is flourishing in Darjeeling. We have figures, which indicate that girls between the ages of 10-18 have just vanished from the tea estates. Most of those being rescued are from this age group, they find themselves in Delhi, Mumbai and Nepal,'' Mrinal Ghosh added.''If this trend continues, soon there won't be any girls left here,'' Ghosh further added.The administration is waking up only now, but it's hard to track flying sex workers.''This is a very big menace, it's not localised and everywhere,'' said Pandey, DM, Darjeeling.However, it's no longer a law and order issue. Those who did get into part time sex work are paying a huge price. Sold into sex work, girls are abandoned when they return home.''It was as if it was my responsibility to look after family,'' said Mohiri, victim of trafficking.Darjeeling is a popular tourist destination but many young people end up turning to sex work and it establishes contours of this growing problem.