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Friday, Dec 29, 2006
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Fifty children rescued from zari units

Staff Reporter

They said working conditions were "pathetic" and they were beaten up for small mistakes

PHOTO: AFP

INNOCENT VICTIMS: Children who were rescued from bonded labour, at a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday. Some 50 children, aged between eight and 14, trafficked from Bihar and Nepal, were rescued from three factories in east Delhi with the help of the Bachpan Bachao Andolan, the Asian Coalition on Child Servitude, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Labour Department officials and policemen.

NEW DELHI: As many as fifty children working as bonded labour in three zari units in East Delhi were rescued on Wednesday with the help of the police.

The raid was conducted by non-governmental organisation (NGO) Bachpan Bachao Andolan, the State Labour Department, local administration and the police. Most of the children hailed from Bihar.

FIR lodged

An FIR has been lodged against the employers who allegedly forced the children to work in these units.

The children will be given their release certificates under the Bonded Labour Abolition Act, 1976, by Seelampur sub-divisional magistrate L.R. Meena on Friday.

Nearly two years ago a middleman allegedly lured the parents into sending their children away on the promise that he would provide them education and work and they could send home money.

However, they did not get any money and were not allowed to contact their children.

Beaten up

The children said they had long working hours and got only a pittance as weekly allowance. They said their working conditions were very "pathetic" and they were beaten up for the slightest mistakes.

"Their release was made under the Bonded Labour Abolition Act as this would ensure that the children get a rehabilitation package of Rs. 20,000, a house as per the Indira Awas Yojana and the benefit of other Government schemes on priority basis," Kailash Satyarthi of the NGO said.

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