Awareness program on child labour laws held in city

Awareness program on child labour laws held in city

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, June 12, 2012: The DK district administration, the Department of Labour, the District Child Labour Project Society, and the DK District Legal Aid Cell jointly observed World Anti Child Labour Day, as part of which it organized a program to enhance awareness of child labour laws in Town Hall on June 12, Tuesday. 

Delivering the inaugural address, Ashok G. Nijagannavar, principal district and sessions judge, said that all children are to be treated as one’s own children, adding that no child should be deprived of his/her childhood as childhood is the most precious part of one’s life.

 

 

Speaking of child rights, he said that children can hardly be expected to fight for their rights; instead, society ought to fight for the rights of children. Stating that lakhs of children are employed in industries all over the country, he said that 90 percent of the workers at Shivakasi Firework Industries are children.

Speaking about the pathetic condition of children in some countries, he said that unfed children are placed on the backs of camels, which are then made to run races. The cries of these children are supposed to make the race more exciting, he added. 

DyCP (crime) Dharmaiah said on the occasion that children are still seen working at construction sites in spite of the child labour laws. Stating that child labour exists because parents and employers are unaware that child labour is a punishable offence, he said that educating employers and parents about child labour laws is of great importance. 

Speaking on the occasion, Assistant Labour Commissioner Venkatesh Appaiah Shindihatti said that a survey was conducted in October – November 2011, as part of which 8 child labourers were rescued. 

Addressing the gathering, Dr. K. N. Vijayaprakash, the CEO of the Zilla Panchayat, said that child labour will continue to exist as long as poverty and alcoholism exists. He also suggested that one of the ways to eliminate child labour is to do one’s domestic chores oneself. Speaking on the problem of begging, he said that each Indian city has several child beggars because parents who work as construction sites in the cities send their children to beg. He said that the ZP plans to open schools for child beggars soon.

Dr. Harish Kumar, MCC commissioner, administered an oath against child labour. 

Several children who were rescued from child labour as well as several college students were also present.