E-Paper
Child rights panel summons MC officials over kids working at Dadumajra landfill
The civic body’s medical officer of health has also been asked to submit a report at Snehalaya in Maloya today
Taking note of children working as ragpickers at the Dadumajra dumping ground, the Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR) has summoned officials of the municipal corporation.
The medical officer of health (MOH) has also been asked to submit a report at Snehalaya in Maloya on Friday.
A team consisting of officials of Child Helpline, Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU), District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) and CCPCR had visited the landfill on Wednesday and found nearly 50 children working there with their families.
“There is no measure in place to check entry at the dumping ground. The children were picking garbage without any safety measures, which can lead to multiple health issues. Interaction with the children revealed they mostly hailed from Uttar Pradesh, Bengal and Bihar, and only some were from Chandigarh,” said Harjinder Kaur, chairperson, CCPCR.
“Children are often found working at the landfill, even though they shouldn’t even be allowed inside as per MC rules. We had previously written about this to the authorities,” said Dyal Krishan president of the Dadumajra Dumping Site Joint Action Committee.
Krishan, who lives near the site, said he had spoken to several children visiting the landfill and learnt they didn’t go to school.
On MC’s part, mayor Ravi Kant Sharma said he will discuss the matter with the officials concerned. “Child labour cannot be allowed, and if something like this is going on, we will take immediate action,” he added.
