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India has world's largest human trafficking problem

WASHINGTON: The United States says that India has the world's largest human trafficking problem.

For the fourth consecutive year, India was warned in the US State Department's ``Trafficking in Persons Report'' that it could be added to a blacklist of countries deemed not meeting minimum standards in fighting what it called the scourge of ``modern-day slavery.''

The report put India and 31 other countries on its ``Tier 2 watch list'' status, warning them that without improvements they could be demoted to a ``Tier 3,'' making them subject to sanctions.

The report cited estimates that tens of millions of Indians were subjected to forced labor and said sex trafficking also continues to be common.

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``The world's largest democracy has the world's largest problem of human trafficking,'' said the department's specialist on the trafficking issue, Mark Lagon.

The report said India had taken some steps to deal with sex trafficking, but the government failed to take any significant action against bonded labor. Following the release, the State Department came under criticism for failing to blacklist India for persistently landing on the watch list.

``The TIP reports says India does not fully comply with the minimum standards for elimination of trafficking,'' said Republican Rep. Chris Smith. ``Yet India remains on the watch list instead of being on Tier 3.''

Lagon acknowledged that the broader relationship with the US ally was taken into account.

``I would be perpetuating a fraud to say that we don't look at multiple factors in our relationship with countries any time we take a step on a particular issue like human trafficking,'' he said.

3rd airport for city at Thane?

MUMBAI: In a couple of decades from now, flying to Mumbai could mean choosing one of three airports for landing—the Mumbai airport, the Navi Mumbai airport and one at Thane.

Even as plans for the construction of Navi Mumbai airport are far from being in full swing, Thane is being looked at as a possible site for a third airport in the area.

Introducing the Thane plan, managing director of Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd (MADC), R C Sinha, said that the proposal for an airport which could handle the boom in domestic air traffic was mooted with a view to providing capacity when Navi Mumbai airport reached saturation point.

“On Saturday, we asked the Thane collector to identify the land for the purpose. The MADC is looking at 1,800 acres for Thane airport,’’ Sinha said, adding that an airport in Thane would not interfere with the navigation corridors around Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports. “Once the land is identified, MADC will place a proposal before the state cabinet for approval,’’ he added.

When asked about the deadline for carrying out the project, Sinha said that there wasn’t any. The project will, however, take high priority in MADC’s 25-year development plan.

MADC’s move gains significance in light of the civil aviation ministry’s recent focus on airports around metros. While 35 airports in non-metros are currently being upgraded, the ministry also plans to introduce exclusive licences for regional airlines to promote air connectivity in non-metros.

Incidentally, the Thane airport will be the second greenfield airport in the state, which has 21 air-strips, most of them not in heavy use.