53 child labourers rescued from north-west Delhi, 7 arrested
Source: Bachpan Bachao Andolan
4th Oct, 2011 New Delhi: On the heals of India Action Week, 53 child labourers were rescued in simultaneous raids conducted in two areas of Sultanpuri and Mangolpuri police stations of North West district of Delhi. At least 7 employers are apprehended presently.
Acting on a complaint filed by Bachpan Bachao Andolan(BBA), Delhi Task Force for Elimination of Child Labour raided 6 factories of leather and garment units on Tuesday morning. The rescue operation was lead by Mr. Ajay Kumar (Sub Divisional Magistrate) accompanied by Lalan Singh (Deputy Labour Commisioner) and Mr. Dayal Singh (Assistant Labour Commissioner) of Labour Department, Police and activists from BBA.
Most of the rescued child labourers were trafficked from the villages of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. All the rescued children are below 14 years of age, the youngest one being 7 years old.
Children told that they were working there for more than 3 months without any wages on the pretense of working as an apprentice.
Some children who were working there for more than a year were paid a meager amount of rs 50-100 as their weekly wages.
Some others were not being paid any wages as they were told that their parents were given a sum of rs. 1500 when they were brought here.
Mr. Ajay Kumar, SDM, Saraswati Vihar, said “After receiving the complaint filed by BBA, we called a meeting on 21st September to plan the raid on these factories. We were very careful about maintaining the secrecy of the information of the survey and the impending raid. The arrested employers will be prosecuted under strict measures of the Indian Penal Code, Child Labour Act, Juvenile Justice Act and Bonded Labour Act as per high court directions. The rescued children will be benefited under Bonded Labour Act and Child Labour Act.”
During India Action Week, an initiative by BBA for rescue and rehabilitation of child labourers, 173 children were rescued from various industries and units in Delhi in a total of 23 raids.
R.S. Chaurasia, Chairperson of BBA said “The continued legal action in Delhi is geared towards making the capital child labour free and we believe that comprehensive legal action including civil and criminal liabilities, recovery of fines and back wages will make child trafficking and child labour economically inviable for such criminals in the state.”
I just wanted to develop a simple note: The work that you do to save children is so important. TY!