Child labour: A menace that

continues unabated
Vaibhav Ganjapure | TNN | Feb 1, 2014, 05.15 AM IST

NAGPUR: At the age when kids go to school and play with friends,
Munna, hailing from neighbouring Chhattisgarh, works at a
roadside tea stall at Ramdaspeth throughout the day for just Rs
50. Another boy of his age, Chotu, works with his parents at
construction site for a meagre salary. Shanta also helps her
mother in washing utensils and clothes at many residences to
help her family earn a living. Recently, two children from Bihar Nadim Salem and Mohammed Ikhtiyar - who were employed at a
workshop for adding silk borders to saris were rescued by GRP
police. Many girls hailing from poor financial background were
also pushed into sex trade at a tender age or forced to marry men
double or triple their age.
The very childhood of all these innocent kids has been lost while
working in the most inhuman and excruciating conditions since
they have no other choice than to support their families. Though
various laws and acts, including the Right to Education (RTE), are
in place to prevent such exploitation, they remain only on the
paper. These children of lesser god could be seen working in
almost every sector - agriculture, manufacturing, fireworks units,
footwear, carpets, glass and cloth industries, restaurants, food
joints and transportation among others.
Their number of children facing these conditions is growing at an
alarming rate, particularly in developing countries, with Southeast Asia being the main contributor. According to a survey, over
250 million children in the age group 5-17 are working as
labourers, which is one out of six children globally. Asia
contributes 61% to this figure while Africa 30%. It's been over 25

years since the Government of India banned child labour but the
scourge continues. Even in cities like Nagpur child labourers are
working right under the nose of government authorities and in
their own projects.
Expressing concern, deputy director of education in Nagpur
Mahesh Karajgaonkar says despite stringent laws, the menace of
child labour continues unabated. "Though the issue is related to
State Labour Department, we do share their concerns and have
planned a slew of initiatives for such children. We had talks with
the owners of night schools in the city and they had responded
positively. We will encourage these children to join night schools
after their working hours. We've also asked the principals to
provide them leaves as and when required," he says.
He adds that unlike migrant kids, these working children gave
least preference to education as they don't get money from here.
"They're ready to work in inhuman conditions for meagre salaries
but, unfortunately, not ready to study. They think education as
wastage of time," Karajgaonkar laments.

The problem is rampant despite RTE Act providing for free and
compulsory education for children between 6 and 14 years of age.
The Labour Department deals with cases only involving those
below 14 years while till 18 years, the children are covered under
the Juvenile Justice Act. Many blamed the government for not
implementing revolutionary acts like RTE in true sense.

"RTE has made it mandatory that education is a fundamental right

of every child, but if they're not going to schools but only working,
they violate this right. Even their recruiters and parents could be
booked for violation. There is need to create awareness about this

Act," lawyer Firdos Mirza, who appeared in many PILs including

malnutrition problems in Melghat, adds.

For Shyamabai Kale, her two daughters help her in washing

utensils at many homes. Shyamabai says she doesn't have the
money to educate her kids and she didn't want to risk them to the
outside world in her absence. "My husband works in Madhya
Pradesh and I remain alone. I can't leave them at any government
school as it involves risk. If they study, when they will learn the
work necessary for survival," she says.

The survey adds that the number of child labour is more in rural
areas where maximum of them work with their parents in fields.
The problem also persists due to host of reasons like low
education level of parents, debt-ridden families, presence of
alcoholic or handicapped member in the family and also family
background like those hailing from tribal areas.

SUMMARY.........
NAGPUR: At the age when kids go to school and play with friends, Munna,
hailing from neighbouring Chhattisgarh, works at a roadside tea stall atRa
mdaspeth throughout the day for just Rs 50.
Recently, two children from Bihar - Nadim Salem and Mohammed Ikhtiyar
- whowere employed at a workshop for adding silk borders to saris were r
escued byGRP police.
These children of lesser god could be seen working in almost every sector
-agriculture, manufacturing, fireworks units, footwear, carpets, glass and
clothindustries, restaurants, food joints and transportation among others.
"Though the issue is related to State Labour Department, we do share the
irconcerns and have planned a slew of initiatives for such children. We ha
d talkswith the owners of night schools in the city and they had responded
positively.We will encourage these children to join night schools after their
working hours.We've also asked the principals to provide them leaves as a
nd when required,"he says.
The problem is rampant despite RTE Act providing for free and compulsor
yeducation for children between 6 and 14 years of age.
"RTE has made it mandatory that education is a fundamental right of ever
ychild, but if they're not going to schools but only working, they violate th
isright. Even their recruiters and parents could be booked for violation. Th

ere isneed to create awareness about this Act," lawyer Firdos Mirza, who a
ppeared inmany PILs including malnutrition problems in Melghat, adds.
"My husband works in Madhya Pradesh and I remain alone. I can't leave t
hemat any government school as it involves risk. If they study, when they
will learnthe work necessary for survival," she says.