NHRC issues Notice to Chief Secretary, Secretary, Labour and Principal Secretary, Education, Delhi Government
New Delhi, January 03, 2007
The National Human Rights Commission has asked for comments from the Chief Secretary and Secretary, Labour Department, NCT of Delhi on a report which said that children are still employed in a number of places in Delhi despite a ban on child labour two months back. Taking Suo-Motu cognizance of a Times of India report published on December 23, 2006, the Commission said if the contents of the report are true, they raise a serious issue of violations of human rights of children. The Commission has given four weeks time to the two officials. The report based on a survey said that most of these children work well past midnight to earn a livelihood. The report also said that the Labour Department of the Delhi Government has not rescued even a single child from these road side restaurants or houses in the last two months. The report further says while the Government was supposed to open 40 transition education centres (TECs) for rescued child labourers, not even a single center has been opened so far.
The Commission also took Suo-Motu cognizance of another report published by the same daily on the said date which said that "No trained teacher for disabled was available in Government schools in Delhi". The report citing a survey conducted by the Rehabilitation Council of India along with Ministry of Human Resource Development said even though the Ministry had included inclusive education as a priority under the Tenth Five Year Plan, Delhi Government schools have failed to accommodate children with special needs. The report further said out of 1,100 Delhi Government schools, only 800 admit children with special needs. Besides 3000 such children are studying in Delhi Government Schools, yet not a single school has a trained special instructor or a resource center for them. Under the Rehabilitation Council of India Act, teaching kids with special needs without the aid of a special educator is a punishable offence the report added.
The Commission has directed that a copy of the news report be transmitted to the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary, Education, Government of NCT of Delhi for their comments within four weeks.
The National Human Rights Commission has asked for comments from the Chief Secretary and Secretary, Labour Department, NCT of Delhi on a report which said that children are still employed in a number of places in Delhi despite a ban on child labour two months back. Taking Suo-Motu cognizance of a Times of India report published on December 23, 2006, the Commission said if the contents of the report are true, they raise a serious issue of violations of human rights of children. The Commission has given four weeks time to the two officials. The report based on a survey said that most of these children work well past midnight to earn a livelihood. The report also said that the Labour Department of the Delhi Government has not rescued even a single child from these road side restaurants or houses in the last two months. The report further says while the Government was supposed to open 40 transition education centres (TECs) for rescued child labourers, not even a single center has been opened so far.
The Commission also took Suo-Motu cognizance of another report published by the same daily on the said date which said that "No trained teacher for disabled was available in Government schools in Delhi". The report citing a survey conducted by the Rehabilitation Council of India along with Ministry of Human Resource Development said even though the Ministry had included inclusive education as a priority under the Tenth Five Year Plan, Delhi Government schools have failed to accommodate children with special needs. The report further said out of 1,100 Delhi Government schools, only 800 admit children with special needs. Besides 3000 such children are studying in Delhi Government Schools, yet not a single school has a trained special instructor or a resource center for them. Under the Rehabilitation Council of India Act, teaching kids with special needs without the aid of a special educator is a punishable offence the report added.
The Commission has directed that a copy of the news report be transmitted to the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary, Education, Government of NCT of Delhi for their comments within four weeks.