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Fiscal help sought for families to eradicate child labour

Staff Reporter

Zonal consultation camp on child labour protection held

BERHAMPUR: Child labourers feel law alone cannot eradicate their problems. A group of child labourers and common children from rural areas of Ganjam and Gajapati districts participated in the zonal consultation camp on Child Labour Prohibition and Restriction Act held in the city by `Aaina' on Monday. It was an effort to assess the situation of child labourers after it was banned completely last year.

Meagre income

Most of the child labourers, below the age of 14, who claimed that they are still working to earn money for their families said unless the Government compensates their meagre income to their families by any means it would not be possible for them to leave their jobs. The child labourers do not earn much. Their monthly income ranged from Rs. 300 to 500 per month.

Saroj Kumar Dalei, a Harijan child labourer from Nandiaguda village of Ganjam district, who still works at a motorcycle repair unit said his family would not allow him to leave the Rs 350 that he gets as pay from his employer. Darka Gamang a 13-year-old tribal girl from Gajapati district, who works as a maidservant at a household at Paralakhemundi said at least she was getting good food and her family was not worried about her feeding due to her employment.

Awareness

Avanikant Behera of Baruda village of Ganjam district spends most of his days gathering firewood for her family and to sell. He asked if stops collecting firewood, how his mother would cook their food. Rashmita Pradhan, a child from a middleclass family, attending the camp suggested that children themselves could create awareness against child labour through `Sishu Surakhaya Dal'. Sixty-four such `Dal' with local children, teachers, and elected panchayat body members as members were functioning at villages in Ganjam district.

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