VIJAYAWADA: As January 26 approaches, officials of the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) have stepped up their activities to rescue child labourers.

That is the date district Collector Naveen Mittal has set for the NCLP officials to make the district child labour-free and there has been a considerable progress with good response coming in field level.

Problem area

Many have sent back child labourers, while the NCLP officials, in association with various departments, have rescued some children during special raids. It has instilled some fear among the employers and even the flat owners' associations have come forward to cooperate in this drive.

The main problem perceived in the drive against child labour in domestic units is that official inspections may be seen as violating their privacy. As it is a sensitive thing, the officials have exercised restraint and are taking action only if there is information. Some people are giving information about this to toll-free number 1098.

NCLP Project Director K. Sivasankar says that inspections by officials against domestic labour is risky, and it is particularly so in apartments. The flat owners make a number of complaints if inspections are conducted. If a suspected child labourer is found in any house, the owners will come out with different versions. They claim the children to be their relatives or those who have come to stay as guests for sometime.

Precaution

As a precautionary measure, the flat owners' associations have been asked to put up notices asking their members not to employ children in domestic work. The owners are advised to send child labourers already engaged in their houses back to their parents.

Mr. Sivasankar says that domestic child labour is the main area where the privacy issue is arising most of the time. The officials are dependent on specific complaints saying that the children are employed in a particular house.

Several rescued

In continued inspections, the officials have raided a food joint and a hostel in the city, and rescued several child labourers.

To strengthen anti-child labour drive in rural areas, teams have been constituted in each mandal and they are directed to search for child labourers in each village.

The teams will intensify their inspections and rescue child labourers. Cases will be filed against those who are found employing children below 14 years of age.

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