news details |
|
|
| Child labour menace continues unabated | | |
Arun Trisal
KATHUA, Feb 14
Contrary to tall claims of district administration in rooting out the menace of child labour, the innocent adolescents are still being engaged as domestic helps, waiters and dish washers at hotels, restaurants, dhabas as well as banquet halls besides peons in several private offices here in the city.
With an innocent face of lost smile forever it seems that these poor kids’ innocent lips are endeavouring to say something, to get justice, to live with dignity and above all want to join an educational institution like other children of the same age group
Shockingly, the administration has turned a blind eye over this inhuman act of so called ‘law abiding citizens’ of the country, who are making a mockery of the system by employing innocent children below the age of 14 years.
The fundamental reason behind the prevalence of the child labour in the city is that a kid belonging to a poor family can be easily exploited as a minor could be employed on very cheap wages and if that is not enough their innocence also comes handy for the employer as they cannot demand too much from their bosses.
The other reason that the children are targeted for doing various jobs is that they have no idea where to approach if any kind of atrocities are being committed upon them by their employers.
A large number of rich people in Kathua have sort of make it a habit to hire minors for domestic help as well as to run their business units which include offices, shops, industries and other establishments.
These children, particularly those working in dhabas and small restaurants, could be often seen wearing untidy dresses
“The kids working as bounded labour in Kathua expose all the fake realities of the educated class and also the government’s policies for abolishing the child labour since the main exploiters of these innocents are high and mighty having strong links with the politicians, the local administration and the concerned Labour Department” said Dinesh Sharma of Ward No 3 Krishna Nagar.
Most of the poverty ridden parents agree to send their wards for employment, especially in affluent households, in a hope that the people, who are appointing them, would nurture their children in a better way since the kids’ rearing is almost impossible back home due to poor economic condition.
But the inhuman condition in which a god number of these youngsters are living and the way they are being exploited tells altogether a different story.
“Child Labour is a grave threat to the future generation of the country in general and the whole humanity in particular and it is a pity that the government has failed miserably to curb this menace. These children, who must have been in school for education instead, are dragged into the unwanted places by the exploiters to meet their own ends.” said Vikas of Karan Nagar
When contacted, the officials of the concerned agency expressed their inability to check the growing instances of child labour in the city due to the lack of proper staff in the District Labour Department.
Even the district administration is totally unaware to take serious notice and activate the concerned department to root out the flourishing child labour in the city.
If things go like this, the days are not far off when Kathua would be known as hub of child labour in the state.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
