The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Open court settles 200 child labour cases

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 30, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Open court settles 200 child labour cases

Staff Reporter

Settlement of remaining cases adjourned to August 5

IN SAFE HANDS: B. Ajay, Deputy Commissioner of Labour (Twin Cities), interacting with child labourers during a special open court held in the city on Saturday. — Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: Special open courts, organised by the Labour Department here on Saturday to settle minimum wage claims filed on behalf of child labourers in the city, heard a record of 552 cases and claims worth Rs. 7.3 lakhs. The cases involved claims pertaining to 556 children.

Of these, some 200 cases were settled on the spot with the employers confessing to their guilt and submitting demand drafts for payment to the children, Deputy Commissioner of Labour (Twin Cities) B. Ajay said. Settlement of the remaining cases has been adjourned to August 5, when a similar open court will be held.

Counselling

The simultaneously held open courts saw 20 children agreeing to get admitted in Government-run residential bridge course centres after they, along with parents, were counselled.

Mr. Ajay said details of each of the 556 children would shortly be posted on the department's website - www.ieg.gov.in/childlab. All these children were identified during the drive launched by the department from July 1 to 25, in the twin cities. The courts were held to ensure that children engaged by owners of shops and establishments were paid with the difference of minimum wages, which are pegged at Rs. 3,000 per child per month before they are relieved from employment.

Assistant Labour Commissioners Esuf Shaik, Ashok Samrat and Chandrasekhar headed three courts while Labour Officers Koteshwar Rao and Ramachandraiah conducted the other two.

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