Panchkula admn ramps up crackdown on child labour

Deputy Commissioner Satpal Sharma on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the district task force formed under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act at the Mini-Secretariat. During the meeting, he directed officials to conduct inspections at potential child-labour sites to ensure that Panchkula becomes completely free of child labour.

The meeting was attended by Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Member Anil Kumar.

The Deputy Commissioner said he had personally met brick kiln owners, hotel and dhaba operators, and had asserted that no establishment would be allowed to employ children. “Any individual found engaging in child labour will face strict legal action,” he said, adding that the Police Department was maintaining close surveillance at various traffic lights across the city to keep a check on child labour activities.

Sharma directed the district task force to carry out inspections at brick kilns, markets, dhabas, factories, hotels and traffic lights, and to submit their action reports to both the Deputy Commissioner’s office and the Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights. He said stringent action must be taken against those who force children into labour, adding that public awareness campaigns should be intensified to sensitise people against the unlawful practice.

He noted that, under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, employing children below the age of 14 in any occupation or process was strictly prohibited.

16 kids of labourers enrolled in school 

• During the meeting, Assistant Labour Commissioner Anjana said four inspections were conducted in October in the Toka, Kalka, Raipur Rani, and Charniyan areas, and no bonded labour cases were found during these.

• However, during inspections at brick kilns, it was observed that some labourers’ children were not attending school.

• Acting on the Deputy Commissioner’s directions, the District Education Officer’s office ensured the admission of 16 such children to  nearby schools.