Police in the North-East are worried about an increase in prostitution in the region. They say sex rackets are being operated from private apartments and residential areas, making it difficult to control the menace.

Human rights activists are demanding changes in the tourism policies in the North-Eastern states, and with good reason too.

“The corporate sector and business sector is growing which is attracting a lot of pubs and discos. You don’t need a red light area to have sex tourism operating. Here guest houses , hotel and homes are bringing clients.

"That is why a tourism policy has to enforced, which will look into this aspect," says Ms Hasina Kharbih, Director, Impulse.

Police say it's difficult to check prostitution in private houses, guest houses and even hostels.

"Most of the girls are below 25 years and come from outside and belong to lower income group families. They come in search of work, and some persons lure them," says Mr Debojit Deori, Addl SP, Guwahati.

Sex tourism apart thousands of girls from the North-East are sold off in Pune, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

“Girls from ages 14 to 20 are sold for Rs 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh. Pimps from Pune, Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi come to buy these girls. The agents supply the girls and get the money," says Mr Ashok Talukdar, Head of Rescue team of global Organization Life and Development.

While the experts are reviewing the tourism policy of the North-Eastern states in order to curb sex tourism, human trafficking has reached to an alarming proportion with Guwahati being used as a passage.

Grim statistical figures state that out of the 529 cases of trafficking registered so far, only 48 of them have been traced.