GUWAHATI, the gateway to the North East is said to be the land of opportunities. Because of its strategic location and better facilities, it has been the centre of attraction for many people migrating into the land to try their luck in better avenues. But not all are blessed to meet their goals and aspirations. Amidst the scores of privileges and conveniences, there exists a section of children in the city whose wishes and dreams are nipped in the bud. These are the ‘street children’ who live on the pavements, places adjacent to railway tracks, or other places, where they can rest or sleep. This summer, while working with SSTEP (Society for Social Transformation and Environment Protection), I got a great opportunity to come in close contact with these children and work with them. These experiences have taught me about the genuine problems of these children, and adapt ways to enable them to find solutions.

As the name indicates, these children live on the streets, but their hearts are full of dreams and wishes. Most of the children come to the city in search of opportunities. And some are truants who run away from their homes due to familial problems, or are orphans. These street children are basically homeless and do not have guardians, and are not fortunate enough to fulfil their dreams. They stay in groups, and are mostly ragpickers who collect plastic and glass bottles to sell them to the scrap shops, to fetch some money for their food. But the worst part of their life is; a lion’s share of the little money that they earn is spent on “inhalants”.

According to government estimates, there are about four thousand street children in Guwahati city, among whom a sizeable number are drug addicts. In recent days, there has been an alarming increase in the number of addicts. These addicts, in order to get their inhalants, which they think is essential to lead a peaceful life, seem to create other problems in the society and hence, are treated as trouble makers by the general public and the administration. Thus, inhalant dependency has evolved to be one of the major crisis for them, creating obstacles in their quest for a better standard of living. As such, proper planning is required to handle this delicate situation.

Inhalants refer to a class of drugs that include a broad range of chemicals found in hundreds of different products, many of which are readily available to the general population. These chemicals include volatile solvents (liquids that vaporise at room temperature) and aerosols (sprays that contain solvents and propellants). Examples are glue, gasoline, paint, hair sprays, nail polish remover and certain cleaners. However, the most commonly used inhalant by this section of children is ‘Dendrite’. Dendrite is the trade name of an adhesive made of synthetic rubber, which is the combination of aromatic and aliphatic solvents with strong odours. Be it any kind of inhalant, they all share the same route of administration – that is, inhalants are drawn into the blood by breathing. They are taken by breathing in the vapour directly from containers; this way is known as ‘sniffing’. The method of inhaling fumes from substances placed in a bag is termed as ‘bagging’. However, the most widespread way of inhalation is ‘huffing’, explained as inhaling the substance from a piece of cloth soaked in it.

The prolonged use of inhalants may prove to be fatal for children. Inhalants like Dendrite take effect very quickly because they get into the bloodstream rapidly via the lungs. The repeated taking in of inhalants over several hours can be dangerous, leading to unconsciousness or even death. A small p.p.m (parts per million) of inhalants can cause great damage to the lungs and the nervous system. The revised edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (published in 2000), lists inhalant dependence as a substance abuse disorder with severe consequences.

The situation in Guwahati in relation to street children inhalant addicts is very much distressing. Most of the children residing in and around the railway tracks and seen on the pavements of Fancybazar, Paltanbazar and Panbazar are hopeless addicts of Dendrite inhalant. They use a piece of cloth for huffing the inhalant. The popularity of Dendrite lies in the fact that it is easily available and the cheapest way to get high. According to them, this inhalant helps them to reduce or partially forget their misery. Many of them do realise the adverse affects of this habit, but they claim that this is the only way to enjoy life. However, the worst effect that has been witnessed due to the chemical dependence is that the children indulge in anti-social activities like theft, robbery to get money to finance their habit, etc. Children are found in a very pathetic condition due to their excessive inhalation of the drug.

This deplorable condition of child addiction has become a serious issue of concern among the public-spirited individuals and organisations. Many NGOs have come forward and have been working for the development of these children. But unless the habit of addiction is eradicated, the welfare of these children is not possible. NGOs like World Vision, SSTEP, Kripa Foundation and a few more voluntary organisations are actively involved with the rehabilitation of the street children and the elimination of addiction among them. Constant counselling is provided to the street children to quit this harmful habit. Many a time, children do try their level best to quit this habit. But the irony is that the circumstances of their life push them back to the old habit of addiction.

The only solution for the eradiation of Dendrite addiction from the lives of street children is to relocate them to a better place of living, which is a daunting task for any organisation to undertake; collaborative efforts may work. Only time can answer the question of the future of the street children, and whether they will have a chance to live.

Panchalee Tamulee