The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Government web site on child labour soon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 10, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Government web site on child labour soon

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JUNE 9. A new web site, containing details of child labour in the State will be put up on June 12, Anti-Child Labour day.

The site (www.tnchildlabour.tn.gov.in) is not managed by any non-governmental organisation: the Labour department is putting it up. ``There is nothing secret about the existence of child labour here. We are trying to address the problem by talking about it in an open manner,'' an official said.

The site relies on the Child Labour Survey, completed in March last year by the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan. Officials say this would not be the last word on child labour: people could approach the department with proof for additions and deletions.

According to the survey, there are 69,521 child labourers — 37,800 boys and 31,721 girls. As many as 16,184 children work in industries classified hazardous. The major occupations they are engaged in are: carrying headloads (14,365), sheep-rearing (4,786), weaving (3,975), cattle grazing (3,387), beedi-making (1,984) and manufacture of matches (1,955).

Dharmapuri district has the largest number of child labourers (10,125) followed by Virudhunagar (6,998).

Cuddalore (95) and Perambalur (96) have the smallest number. A majority of the labourers are in rural areas (52,322) and belong to the 12-14 age group (45,393). There are 7,546 children aged between five and nine who work.

Another 16,571 are in the 9-12 age bracket.

As many as 26,251 children hail from most backward classes. Children from Scheduled Castes (20,815), backward classes (18,659), Scheduled Tribes (2,169) and the remaining communities (1,627) account for the rest.

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