Patna, June 29 -- The Patna high court has issued a stern directive to the state government, demanding immediate action and a response within two weeks regarding measures to combat the trafficking and exploitation of minor girls in orchestra groups across the state. According to a press note issued on Saturday by Just Rights for Children (JRC), which had filed a petition seeking the court's intervention in the matter, the bench, comprising acting chief justice Ashutosh Kumar and justice Partha Sarathi, labelled the trafficking of girls under 18 as a 'grave issue' and instructed the government to file an affidavit within two weeks outlining measures to regulate and monitor orchestra and dance groups. The court's intervention follows alarming reports of widespread exploitation of minor girls in such groups, often trafficked and subjected to sexual abuse and harassment. JRC is the country's largest network of over 250 civil society organisations working across 418 districts to protect child rights. It has, in collaboration with organisations like the Association for Voluntary Action (AVA), been instrumental in rescuing hundreds of minor girls from orchestra groups in districts like Rohtas, Saran and Gopalganj. Notably, a raid in Rohtas led to the liberation of 44 minor girls, while similar operations in Saran and Gopalganj freed many others. These rescues highlight the scale of the problem, with orchestra groups increasingly becoming a front for human trafficking and exploitation. In its petition, JRC urged the court to establish a statewide coordination mechanism to curb this menace. The organisation also filed an interim application calling for a comprehensive action plan involving all stakeholders, stricter regulation of orchestra groups, and rehabilitation for victims under the Bihar Victim Compensation Scheme, 2014 (amended in 2019). JRC further demanded a complete ban on the use of minor girls in such groups and measures to prevent their re-trafficking, including interim compensation for victims regardless of the status of the accused-whether convicted, acquitted, unidentified, or absconding. The HC accepted the interim application, directing the state government to act swiftly and submit a detailed affidavit. The court emphasized that special courts must consider all aspects of the victims' trauma and losses when ordering compensation....