The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : Workshop, processions mark World Child Labour Day

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 01, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

Workshop, processions mark World Child Labour Day

Special Correspondent

Efforts called for combating the social menace, pamphlets and stickers distributed

WORKING OUT SOLUTIONS: Parents of child labourers attending an awareness workshop organised under the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) to mark the World Child Labour Day in Tiruchi on Saturday. PHOTO: R. M. RAJARATHINAM.

TIRUCHI: : Awareness workshop for the benefit of parents of child labourers, distribution of pamphlets and display of stickers on the need for the total eradication of child labour, rallies by school students marked the observance of World Child Labour Day in Tiruchi district on Saturday.

Officials from government departments, who spoke at the awareness workshop organised by the Child Labour Elimination and Effective Rehabilitation Society (CHEERS) functioning under the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) held at Ambikapuram Special School, called for concerted efforts from the entire community for putting an end to the child labour menace from the society by 2007.

Parents of the child labourers hailing from Ambikapuram, Kiliyoor, Pathanapettai, Kattoor, Ariyamangalam etc., who participated in the workshop, hailed the steps taken for providing a new lease of life to their children by admitting them in the special schools. They admitted that they remained illiterate owing to poverty and were forced to send their wards to workplaces. They were now satisfied that their children were able to go to school.

The simultaneous formation of self-help groups among the parents of the child labourers has been improving the economic condition, thus combating the school drop-out menace. The parents were now content that they were able to protect the rights of their wards.

The Project Director, CHEERS, Jaisee Suwetha, said since the introduction of the NCLP project in the district in 1995 over 5,500 young boys and girls who were employed in industrial units and other workplaces abandoning education, were retrieved and admitted to special schools and later to regular schools.

She said three village panchayats — Senappanallur, Kollapatti and Sokkanathapuram — have already been declared as child labour free after proper verification by special committees. About 150 more panchayats have submitted proposals for declaring them as child labour free.

The Inspector of Labour, Solaimuthu, termed child labour problem as a social menace and only the society as a whole could eliminate it. The parents and the industrial houses should come forward to extend a helping hand to the authorities in checking the menace.

The Assistant Project Director, Mahalir Thittam, Antony Stephen, the secretary of the Servite Social Service Society, Lilyan Mary and S. Rajeswari, advisor, CHEERS also spoke.

In the morning, the staff of CHEERS distributed pamphlets and stickers to the shops and business establishments in Srirangam, Mampazha Salai, Tiruverumbur, Kattoor, Gandhi Market, Main Guard Gate, Woraiyur, Central Bus Stand and Chathiram bus stand areas.

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