New Delhi:
The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) on Friday rescued 12 children illegally engaged at a garments factory and a mechanic workshop from east Delhi’s Gandhi Nagar.
The children were working without masks in unsafe and unhygienic conditions, the commission said in a statement.
A team of the commission led by its member Roop Sudesh Vimal, along with officials of Delhi Police, labour department, SDM Vivek Vihar and NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan conducted the rescue operation.
The DCPCR and Delhi Police have sealed the establishments and the contractor has been arrested, it said.
A DCPCR member said the statements of the rescued children will be recorded at the SDM’s office, followed by medical tests, including Covid. The children will be produced before a Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for further proceedings and rehabilitated.
“The commission is in process of evolving a comprehensive long-term strategy to make Delhi Child Labour Free by 2023,” said Anurag Kundu, chairperson, DCPCR. Kundu urged citizens to proactively report instances of child labour.
He said with the outbreak of Covid-19 and the lockdown, there has been a drastic impact on the income of families. According to a joint report by UNICEF and International Labour Organisation (ILO), released to mark the World Day Against Child Labour on June 12, loss of employment and rising poverty is likely to force more children to seek exploitative and hazardous jobs as families use every available means to survive.
{{/usCountry}}He said with the outbreak of Covid-19 and the lockdown, there has been a drastic impact on the income of families. According to a joint report by UNICEF and International Labour Organisation (ILO), released to mark the World Day Against Child Labour on June 12, loss of employment and rising poverty is likely to force more children to seek exploitative and hazardous jobs as families use every available means to survive.
{{/usCountry}}Delhi minister for social welfare and women and child development (WCD) Rajendra Pal Gautum said that such coordinated joint efforts will help eradicate the malpractice of child labour in Delhi.