“ACTION OF RAID TEAM: STRICTNESS AGAINST CHILD LABOUR, TWO CHILDREN FREED”

 “ACTION OF RAID TEAM: STRICTNESS AGAINST CHILD LABOUR, TWO CHILDREN FREED”

20-AUG-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

BHABHUA--------------------------Under the aegis of Labour Resources Department Kaimur, the District Raid Team constituted by Labour Superintendent Mr. Chandan Kumar conducted a special campaign to prevent child labour in Chainpur block area. This raid team was led by Labour Enforcement Officer of Chainpur block Mr. Hrithik Ranjan.

During the campaign, intensive inspection and raids were conducted at many shops and establishments in the block area. In the same sequence, two child labourers were freed from Kanha Bakery Food and Products Establishment located in Lodipur. One of these labourers is a resident of Jharkhand state while the other is a resident of Lodipur itself. Both were handed over to the Child Welfare Committee located in the District Collectorate. At the same time, action is being taken to register an FIR against the establishment operator.

Note that as per the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986, making children below 14 years of age do any kind of work is prohibited, while making teenagers between 14 and 18 years of age do risky work is a cognizable offence. For violating this, the guilty is liable to be imprisoned for up to two years and fined up to Rs 50,000. Also, as per the Supreme Court order in the case of M.C. Mehta vs. State of Tamil Nadu, an additional fine of Rs 20,000 is also imposed for each freed child labourer.

It is worth mentioning that the state government also provides immediate assistance of Rs 3000 to the freed child labourers. The raid team included labour enforcement officer Shri Dinesh Kumar Kesari (Bhabua Sadar), Shri Santosh Kumar Singh (Bhagwanpur), Shri Ramraj Soni (Chand), Shri Rakesh Kumar (Child Welfare Committee member) from Aaliya Aadhyaatmik Samaj and police personnel.