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Court notice on rehabilitation of rescued kids

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Delhi Government asking it to explain how it plans to rehabilitate the 425-odd child labourers who were rescued from 150 zari factories in the Zafrabad area of Delhi last month.

Asking the Government to give its response to a public interest litigation filed by social activist and lawyer Ashok Agarwal by February 8, the High Court also permitted the petitioner to visit the rescue homes to find out the condition of the children. Questioning the Government's failure to ensure suitable rehabilitation measures for all the child labourers rescued on November 21 from the Jaffarabad area, the PIL alleges that the Government has not taken enough steps to protect these children.

The petition submitted that following their rescue, the Government kept the children in August Kranti Bhawan till November 25 under the control and supervision of a non-government organisation, Pratham Delhi Education Initiative.

"During the said period of five days, the children had undergone torture and mental agony. There was no proper sanitation arrangement. There was no one to provide medical care. The clothes of the children were not at all changed and there were no proper bathing facilities. Due to unhygienic atmosphere and absence of basic amenities, several children fell sick and remained unattended," the petition states.

It further alleges that when things went out of hand, the NGO requested the Child Welfare Committee on November 25 to shift the children, following which they were shifted on November 26 to five juvenile homes.

While complaining that these children were being simply handed over to their parents or relatives without ensuring they are not recycled as child labour, the PIL submits that "it is a common experience that once these children are simply handed over to the parents/relatives without rehabilitation package, all these children are seen again in the factories to work as child labour."

While submitting that the Government rescued the children without planning their rehabilitation in advance, the PIL accuses the Government of violating Article 21of the Constitution of India. The petitioner further submitted that the Government had so far not prosecuted the employers who had illegally employed these children.

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