We have heard many scary stories of brutal and violent treatment meted out to floating street children. They live an unprotected life falling easy prey to all kinds of abuses. No matter how preposterous it may sound, the fact is -- there are so-called human beings who take criminal advantage of these innocent children and their unprotected lives, and get away with it, since these children have no one to turn to or nowhere to seek help from against all kinds of injustice done on them. And that's why we think the need for a composite crisis centre from where they can get medical attention, shelter and legal support, is being felt more than ever before.

These street children seem to have become invisible to us as we very rarely talk about them or even think about them. We should ask our conscience whether it's right. We must begin to sympathise with their plight and do everything possible to defend their rights. Though there are government initiatives in the area, needless to say, they are not enough. There are hundreds and thousands of children who are still living lives full of risks and vulnerabilities. The answer lies in collaboration between the private and public sectors to help these children out of the morass. We are sure there are plenty of individuals and institutions who would gladly donate to this cause, only on condition that the expenditure will be well-audited. We need to get these big-hearted persons and organisations under one umbrella with an assurance.

Let's not ignore these forgotten members of our society; for, it's their birthright to have a decent living.