Rights panel reviews efforts to check child labour in Panchkula

Members of the Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Shyam Shukla and Anil Kumar, today chaired a meeting of the District Task Force to review ongoing efforts to eliminate child labour.

The meeting brought together officials from various departments, including police, labour, health and child welfare, to strengthen coordination and accelerate action towards making Panchkula a child labour-free district.

The commission members urged all Task Force representatives to work collectively with “team spirit and urgency” to root out child labour and child begging. They announced that “Child-Friendly Rooms” will soon be set up in the Civil Hospital and women police stations in Panchkula — an initiative that will later be expanded across the state. These spaces aim to create a safe and supportive environment for children in distress and will serve as a model for other districts.

Kumar instructed the Task Force to include two advocates from the District Legal Services Authority during raids to ensure transparency and accuracy in legal documentation. Rescued children, he said, should be medically examined before being presented before the Child Welfare Committee.

He also emphasised the need for extensive public awareness drives in markets, factories, hotels, dhabas to sensitise citizens.