DK may be declared ’child-labour free’ on Oct 2

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, july 15, 2015:  In a preparatory meeting held here july 14, DK DC Adoor B Ibrahim said child-labour free Dakshina Kannada district is likely to be declared on October 2. A nine-member committee under the chairmanship of CACL-Karnataka Convener Renni D’Souza has been formed to look into the modalities and parameters for declaring the district child-labour free.

 

 

 The DC  said modalities will be set by the month end. Awareness and ground realities will be checked in all the gram panchayats and local bodies in the month of August and September.

Assistant Labour Commissioner Nagesh said nine child labour cases were detected in 2014-15 in DK. In 2015-16, no cases have been detected till date. Since the inception of Child Labour Protection unit in 2001-02, a total of 173 child labour cases have been detected in the district. Comparing other districts, child labour cases are rare in DK.  It would be better if a  declaration is made on child labour-free from each and every household in the district as well as business establishments.  CACL-Karnataka Convenor Renni D’Souza said Dakshina Kannada district has the potential to be a child-labour free district.

Such a declaration should be made after duly checking the status and facts from gram panchayats. The first declaration had to be made at the gram panchayat-level, followed by taluk and then the district levels. Gram Panchayats should be accountable and awareness should be created among the mass on the same.

Migrant population is on a rise, there is a possibility of migrant children may become child labours in the district. There is a need to chalk out an alternative plan for the migrant children.  There is a need to create child friendly society along with declaring child-labour free district. 

CWC Chairperson Nikesh Shetty said that when child labour is produced before the CWC, we have to wait for more than three to four months to ascertain the age of the child in some cases, The departments should cooperate in providing the age certificate at the earliest.

There is a need to provide suitable facilities for the children of migrant labourers. Citing an example of Tamil labourers residing in Hoige Bazar, Social worker Suresh Shetty said such migrant children are denied education. As they stay here for a month, there is a need to provide temporary education to such children.

To which, ZP CEO P I Sreevidya said there is a scope for admitting the children in angawadi centres or schools for a short period when they reside here.  Prajna Counselling Centre Director Hilda Rayappan said efforts have been made to declare child-labour free district in the last 15 years. NGOs have played a major role in creating awareness on ill effects of child labour system.