MUMBAI: In response to a query by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the State Government has agreed to submit a report in two weeks detailing its course of action against employers using child labour. A senior official in the Chief Secretary's office confirmed that the NHRC notice, which followed the recent detection of over 400 child labourers by the Mumbai police, had been sent to the Departments of Labour and Women and Child Welfare.

On June 1, the Mumbai Police rescued 465 child labourers working in various industrial units, including shoe making, bag making, zari and buffing. The raids were conducted with the help of the "Say No to Child Labour Task Force," a coalition of 46 NGOs. Following the rescue operation, the NGOs collected information from the children regarding their hometowns and employers.

Anjali Gokarn, member of the Child Welfare Committee, said the committee had released children above 16 years as they were earning between Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 5,000 a month. Around 140 children between 14 and 16 years will be handed over to their parents after the committee checks their documents. The employers will have to take out National Saving Certificates in the name of the child for amounts ranging from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 5,000. Around 135 children under 14 will be sent to their homes in different States. The police would accompany them, Ms. Gokarn added.

More child workers rescued

Even as the investigation and procedure of collecting information from the children continued, the Labour Department on Friday rescued 80 children from the Zaveri Bazar area of South Mumbai. The rescued children, the majority of whom were from West Bengal, were mostly working in jewellery making units abundant in the Zaveri Bazar area. "Most of the children are under 14," confirmed T. G. Cholke, Assistant Labour Commissioner. Several social workers expressed dissatisfaction at the way in which the latest raid was conducted. "There are thousands of children in this area. Many more children could have been rescued if the raid had been planned properly. The children were just running and no one could catch them. Also many people in this area had come to know of it. So they fled. Moreover, there were no arrangements for buses to bring the children. These children are not criminals. They should not be transported in police vans," said one social worker.

The children will be in Dongri and Chembur shelter homes until arrangements are made to send them back home. Fifteen employers have been detained for questioning.

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