Abolishment of child labour remains a distant dream
New Delhi: Everyone in our country is intoxicated with pride on the pious occasion of
the 60th year of our Independence but do not get carried away. Do spare
some thought for little angels of Mother India who do not enjoy freedom in
true sense while, we, a billion plus population, celebrate the Diamond
jubilee of our Independence. Still, child labour is a blot on the face of
Indian society. Abolishment of child labour still remains a distant dream
for India. Nobody has the answer to the question as to why the country
has failed to abolish the age old practice of 'Child Labour'. The campaign
for providing the constitutional right to children and eradication of
child labour, which has been led by the Government of India and the
Non-Government Organisations' (NGO) has turned into total fiasco. Even the
anti-child labour Act seems to have turned in-effective in taking care of
the plight of children. After six-decades of India's Independence, it
might have been assumed that child labor had declined in India but
children are still seen employed in various sectors. Complete eradication
of child labour remains an uphill task because the government and the
citizens are irresponsible. Despite awareness campaigns, it appears that
it has been dampening the spirit of responsibility in every sphere,
otherwise people would have come forward to inform the enforcement
department or other authorities about the establishment or organisation,
where children are being employed and Rescue them from being exploited
further and try to send them to schools.
The task of the citizens and the government as well, do not end by funding
for the project or by laying down the legislator, but to be practically
implemented. The right to live properly and educate children has been
taken for a complete ride in India. However, the West managed to eradicate
the stigma of child labour. Blocking children from education itself
tantamounts to criminal offense, but who cares? The enforcement is playing
their cards on the issue and National Human Rights Commission is like a
lion without teeth. Employment of any child under the age of fourteen is
illegal, because it can lead to exploitation, either physically, mentally
or morally. However, the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act,
1986 defines 57 categories of child labour under Factory Act, Mines Act,
Plantation Labour Act, Merchant Shipping Act, Building and other
Construction Act and Regulation of Employment & Condition of Service Act
(1996).
According to Special Rapportuer of National Human Rights Commission,
Lakshmidhar Mishra said, "After 1986 there has been no development, about
2 million children are still engaged in hazardous work at present. The
primary reasons for it are poverty and denial of basic amenities that
makes parents push children to work. They rather crush childhood to become
an adult. Even early child marriage is an aberration, which do not die
easily. We do not have catholic society where concept of superstition
reigns. Interstate and inter nation (Bangladesh) migration is another
factor, which the government has turned a blind eye to. Rehabilitation is
not happening at a large scale" Poverty is widely considered to be the
topmost reason for child labour in our country. Speaking to Headlinesindia
nine-year-old Baburam (name changed) relentlessly said, "Since past
one-and-a-half years I have been working here (tea stall) to earn Rs 800
per month. I have never been to school but wish to go. My father left us
long back and mother is working as a maid. However the owner is good, he
does not scold me." Census conducted in past four decades reveal some
shocking figures. In 1971 census for the Children in the age group of 5
to 14 was conducted according to which 107,53,985 number of children were
categorised as child labour. In 1981 census it was 13,64,0870. In 1991
census, the figure saw a slight drop at 11,28,5349, but in 2001 it went up
again at 12,66,6377.
As far as punishment is concerned, whoever employs any child in the
purview of the provision of Section-3 of Child Labour Act, shall be
punishable with imprisonment for three months. If the offense is repeated
then imprisonment will extend to two years. Meanwhile, Spokesperson of
Delhi Police, Dependra Pathak told Headlines India, "Police has a focussed
role to play, and we do extend all possible assistance. The department is
sensitive and serious in any enactment of child labour. We are committed
to serve better for the abolishment of child labour." said Pathak.
Are we hoping against the hope that the day is not far away, when child
labour will be abolished and every child of our country will have proper
education and true freedom?
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Economy at 60