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17 October 2007, New Delhi: You can buy a branded T-shirt of Rs. 500/- and a family of five can eat delicious food with a menu of dal makhni, pulao, paneer with tempting tandori roti in Rs 500. But, did you know that you can buy a child in Rs. 500 in our country.
12 year old Sanjay Kumar (name changed) from Katihar was brought to New Delhi to work in plastic factory by his uncle (read middleman) by giving merely Rs 500 to his father as advance. Sanjay worked for more than 15 hours a day. For all his hard work, he never received any money. What he got was false consolation from the owner of the factory that his salary was sent directly to his parents. When he insisted on proof, he was beaten up. In reality Sanjay’s parents didn’t even know where their son was.
The general perception is that children from poor families have to work to earn and sustain a livelihood. Very few know that poverty is used as a ploy by middlemen to show city dreams to parents and traffick their children to work in hazardous industries like plastic industry. Once they come to the city, children wake up to the dark truth of being deprived of basic necessities like food, health, and the freedom of movement. It is a violation of the children’s fundamental rights to a life of freedom and equality and education. They lose their childhood, which is a time for play and study by working in hazardous industries.
Sanjay along with 13 other children were rescued on 17 October 2007 by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Alipur, Shri Manoj Trivedi, police officials and activists of Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) from Bhorgad industrial area and dhabas (road-side eateries) at old Anaj Mandi (grain market). All the rescued children hail from Darbhanga and Katihar districts of Bihar. Children spoke of long hours of work and ill-treatment by the employers. After rescue, the children were brought to Mukti Ashram, the transit rehabilitation centre of BBA.
Bhuwan Ribhu, National Secretary, Bachpan Bachao Andolan said that cases were filed under Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976. On 22 October, the SDM gave the release certificate which would entitle the children to the Rs 20,000 rehabilitation package under the said law. “They would also be enrolled in NCLP schools in their districts and would be entitled to receive the benefits of any government scheme on a priority basis” said Mr. Ribhu.
For more details contact, Umesh Gupta: 92120 89894 |
