Four child labourers rescued from factory

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 13

As part of the ongoing Child Labour Eradication Week, various teams conducted surprise checks in the city. Four children working as labourers were rescued from KR Industries located on the Bathinda-Goniana road.

Deputy Commissioner Diprava Lakra said special teams constituted under the district task force conducted raids at various places at GT Road, 100-feet road, Power House Road and Bank Bazaar.

He said during a check at KR Industries, four underage children were found to be working at the cooler factory.

The four will be sent to Children’s Home after medical examination and the police will initiate action against the factory owners, he added.

The Deputy Commissioner said Child Labour Eradication Week was being observed from June 11 to 18, during which factories, commercial centres, hospitals, brick kilns, eating joints, hotels, industrial areas and other places would be raided to rescue underage children working as labourers.

The district administration will also make efforts to rehabilitate such children.

He added that the teams had been constituted in cooperation with various government departments and NGOs interested in working for the cause.

Apart from being part of the special teams, the NGO members will also be given the task of spreading awareness among the public against child labour.

While the Health Department has been given the task of getting the rescued children medically examined and getting their age proof certificates made, the Education Department has been directed to make arrangements to enroll such children into schools and follow up their development.

The Women’s and Child Development Department has been given the duty of ensuring that the rescued children are well provided for, which may include food, clothes and accommodation facilities.

Also present during the meeting were ADC Sakshi Sawhney, Rampura SDM Subhash Khattar, Bathinda SDM Balwinder Singh, assistant director, factories, Sahil Goyal and Labour Officer Inderpreet Kaur among others.