New Delhi: Local authorities Thursday rescued a dozen child labour including seven girls who were made to work in a plastic industry.
The raid was conducted in Narela industrial area by a rescue team led by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate Jitendra Yadav, officials of the labour department, Delhi Police and NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) which works for eradication of child labour.
All rescued children were between 8-15 years of age and most of them belonged to Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh and Sitamarhi district of Bihar. They were working under sub-human conditions for over six months and were involved in hazardous work of cutting and manufacturing of disposable plastic items. All children belong to poor families.
The rescued children complained that they were made to work for 12 hours a day without any break and have not been paid the promised Rs. 3,000 per month salary.
Lallan Singh, Deputy Labour Commissioner, Delhi, said, "The employers will be prosecuted under Minimum Wages Act and Child Labour Act and a fine of Rs. 20,000 per child will be recovered as per High Court directions. Also the children will be benefited with the recovery of their back wages through Labour Department."
According to R.S. Chaurasia, chairperson of Bachpan Bachao Andolan children in large numbers are working in organised industrial sectors in Delhi. BBA has rescued a total of 1,253 child labour since January 2011.
Most of the rescued child labours have expressed their desire to go to schools.
