6 child labourers rescued from factory

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 10

As many as six child labourers, including a girl, were rescued by the district administration from a hand tools unit in Wariana on Jalandhar-Kapurthala road today.

Acting on a tip-off by the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), a team headed by SDM-II Rahul Sindhu, reached HK Forging around 3 pm. In total, nine children were rescued from the factory. Of these, six were minors while three were above 18 years.

Those resuced were moved to the Hoshiarpur Juvenile Home while the girl has been shifted to the Gandhi Vanita Ashram. A formal complaint against the owner of the factory had been submitted by the BBA to the Commissioner of Police.

NGO Bachpan Bachao comes to the rescue

• Acting on a tip-off, the SDM raided a hand tools unit in Wariana on Jalandhar-Kapurthala road.
• In total, nine children were rescued from the factory. Of these, six are minors while three are above 18 years of age.
• In August, the authorities rescued 47 child labourers, including 13 girls from JK Rubbers Industry Private Ltd and JK Polymer Industry.

Dinesh Kumar of the BBA said, “The factory was raided around 3 pm. For 10 to 15 minutes, nobody opened the gate. After receiving access to the factory, nine children were rescued. The factory makes hand tools and it is a hazardous occupation. The children were covered with black residue. They told us that they had been employed for the last four months. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, children are being employed at hazardous units.”

Kumar said majority of the children were natives of UP and Bihar. He said parents of some kids stay in Jalandhar while others reside in UP and Bihar.

The SDM said, “A total of six children were rescued from the unit. Three are 18-years-old. The rescued children have been taken to the Gandhi Vanita Ashram and will be produced before the Child Welfare Committee. The owners of the factory have clearly violated the Child Labour Act as well as the JJ Act. An FIR is being filed against the owners.”

When asked whether the children had been trafficked, the SDM said, “Parents of most of the children reside here. Prima facie it does not seem the case of child trafficking.” He said a team of doctors has been set up to examine the children.

Tehsildar Shish Pal Singla, Inspector Sukhjinder Singh, DPO GS Randhawa, Child Protection Officers Amneet Kaur and Harneet Kaur, among others were present during the raid.

It is pertinent to mention that the Jalandhar Commissionerate had rescued 47 child labourers, including 13 girls in August, from JK Rubbers Industry Private Limited and JK Polymer Industry in Wariana leather complex on Jalandhar-Kapurthala road.

The factory owners had employed these children even during the pandemic that too without following any norms. While the factory during first inspection was found to be empty, 37 children were found hidden on the roof. Ten more children were found from another block in the same factory.