The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Young workers tell panel they are over 16

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Young workers tell panel they are over 16

By Tejas Ewing

CHENNAI, MARCH 29. The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of Tamil Nadu held a hearing today to decide the fate of 11 reportedly underage workers whisked away by the police from a printing factory in Kodambakkam.

Statements were taken from the young workers, the employers, and a number of parents. In their statements to the CWC panel, the youths claimed that they were over 16. A doctor present there to verify the age of the workers said it could range from 12-18, and that X-rays might be needed to judge their age more accurately. The workers, the parents, and the factory manager could not produce adequate documentation to verify the age.

The workers said they were treated well at the factory. The factory manager described their treatment as just and fair, and denied that any of them were bonded labourers. A few parents stated their desire to have their children returned to the factory. However, there were discrepancies between the workers' accounts of their working hours, and the statement of the factory manager. One worker said he worked from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., whereas the factory manager said they worked from 10 a.m. till 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. till 6 p.m.

As eight of the workers were from Tirunelveli, the CWC decided to transfer these eight workers to the control of their counterparts in Tirunelveli so that a more thorough hearing could be held there.

According to a spokesperson for the CWC, which is part of the State Government's Department of Social Defence, "the mandate of our organisation is to provide for the care and protection of children. We are the only Government organisation with this as our sole aim. So, we need to carefully find out the facts in order to decide what is best for these young workers."

The other three workers are from Chennai, and a further hearing will be held here shortly.

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