: Opinion: Do not delay policy on child labour #IndiaNEWS #View Point By KSS Seshan The media recently reported that the She Teams in Hyderabad, along with anti-human trafficking unit and Child Welfare

Opinion: Do not delay policy on child labour #IndiaNEWS #View Point
By KSS Seshan
The media recently reported that the She Teams in Hyderabad, along with anti-human trafficking unit and Child Welfare department officials, rescued several children, mostly girls in the age group of 9-12 years from child labour. They were working for opulent families as full-time domestic helpers. In January, a police team based on information that children were employed for labour work in Bhongir town near Hyderabad conducted raids and rescued about 20 children.
A sample survey conducted by the Telangana labour department across select 56 mandals in 10 districts reveals that most children involved in child labour do not go to schools and are predominantly from marginalised communities. It is also surmised that 80-90% children identified as child labourers were from economically and socially disadvantaged communities.
The International Day against child labour is ostentatiously celebrated with all fanfare on 12 June, every year. Yet, child labour continues to exist unabated in our midst. The numerous Acts and laws passed against child labour by the governments periodically have not succeeded in bringing down even an iota of the incidence of this evil practice.
Child labour is rampant because it is profitable and convenient for the greedy employer. He can get cheap labour with no major demands. The fear of organised labour problems does not exist with child labour. The poor parents of the victims are not against it as they add a little income to the family kitty.
The young children when employed are not only denied of their right to education, but their precious childhood too is robbed from them. This in the long run leaves ill effects on the rest of their lives and it is likely that most of them end up in a conflict with law.
Unscrupulous Industry
In towns and cities, there are a number of workshops, foundries, lathe shops and other establishments where the practice of employing child labour has become the order of the day. Almost every carpentry shop has employed young boys in the age group of 10-15 years. As these young kids are supposed to be doing apprenticeship to pick up skills and since they gradually take it up as a profession, they are generally not paid for their labour; and if paid, only meagerly.
The roadside welding shops employ mostly child labour and the children, thus employed, slog the entire day with hazardous machines. Many a time, young boys are left with ghastly wounds that leave permanent scars on their face and body by the sparks the welding equipment emits. Scooter repair shops and car mechanic garages invariably run with young children as tool-boy helpers. Children are drafted to work at the brick kilns, construction sites and other civil works.

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