It is claimed by SWLA that bus drivers, conductors and cleaners often take advantage of innocent children
The SWLA say that what starts with porn on their mobiles can escalate to ‘molestation and sodomisation of the child’
The SCWLA has said no such site should have free access and those desperate to watch porn should be made to pay a hefty price.

The Indian government may soon advise its schools to install Internet jammers in their buses after a public interest plea in the Supreme Court alleged that crews on these vehicles often share pornographic material with children.

The development comes against the backdrop of the Centre last year blocking hundreds of adult websites to prevent porn becoming a ‘social nuisance’, sparking a debate about censorship and freedom in the world’s largest democracy.

The ban was partially lifted days later following a wave of criticism.

Responding to a suggestion to install jammers inside schools from the Supreme Court Woman Lawyers Association’s (SWLA) RP Saxena said, ‘It may not be feasible to install jammers inside the school premises since jammers in schools will block internet access to computers used by children.

‘However, in order to prevent access of pornographic sites on cell phones by these drivers or anyone who is in charge of the children in the buses, they can be installed in buses.’

In its fight against online porn, the SCWLA has said no such site should have free access and those desperate to watch porn should be made to pay a hefty price which ‘can act as a deterrent’.

Based on the plea from the association and others, the top court had this year asked the Narendra Modi government to find out ‘ways and means’ to block pornography on the internet and make watching of blue film in public an offence.

The petition filed by the association’s secretary Prerna Kumari and drafted by senior lawyer Mahalakshmi Pavani claims: ‘It has become very common these days for the drivers, conductors / cleaners to take advantage of innocent children, induce them to watch porn on their mobiles and indulge in molestation and sodomisation of the child.’

Millions of Indians access porn on their smartphones or by inserting memory chips containing racy videos that are easily available at low prices, say reports.

Some Internet companies say it is impossible to block all such sites because many of the servers that host them are outside India.

Also, the sites can still be accessed through proxy servers. However, researchers from Australia’s University of Melbourne found in a study last month that young people who watch pornography, which is now easily accessible on smartphones and other devices, are more likely to sexually abuse another child or young person.

Referring to ‘increasing’ instances where auto drivers, bus drivers and conductors indulge in molestation and sodomy, the affidavit says, ‘Limited access to persons making request to visit porn sites, may be provided (like VPN gateway server) with certain conditions like: Instead of making payment to the Service providers, a hefty amount be made to the Government of India.

‘This way, it is reflected in the bank accounts; also people like auto-drivers and people belonging to such similar strata of the society will have restricted access to online pornography.

‘Also, it can be a great revenue-generating model for the government.’

The Centre said schools may also consider a proposal to have a male and female child counsellor each as well as special sex education workshops.

‘IT ministry has approved a formal agreement wherein Department of Telecommunications will obtain list maintained by INTERPOL containing domain names hosting child sexual abuse contents and act as an appropriate agency of the government to direct its licensee ISPs to expeditiously remove or disable access to material found in violation of the IT Act,’ the government’s affidavit said.

‘Further the mechanism to obtain the list containing domain names hosting contents of child sexual abuse is being worked out in consultation with the CBI.’

The Centre recently told SC that it has roped in the international police agency to crack down on sexual abuse and pornography of children amid a surge in photographs and videos showing kids being sexually exploited.

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