NHRC sends notice to Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Rajasthan on employment of children in cotton farms
New Delhi September 3, 2007 The National Human Rights Commission has sent notices to the Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Rajasthan on a report, which said that the tribal children from Rajasthan are trafficked to Gujarat to work as labourers in cotton farms.
The Commission took suo-motu cognizance of the report which appeared in the "Indian Express" on August 30, 2007 and said that the incident is a serious issue of violation of human rights of these children.
As per the press report, tribal children from shepherd community, in the age group of 10-15 years from Banswara, Dungarpur and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan are trafficked to Sabarkantha and Banaskantha districts of Gujarat to work in cotton farms. The report, further said that these children were exploited and were paid 40 rupees per day for 10 hours work despite a fixed minimum wage of rupees 50. The report also said that this wage is not paid directly to the children but to the contractor who had brought them from Rajasthan. The news report further highlighted that these children including a number of girls were made to stay in makeshift shelters, in the middle of the cotton fields where they were vulnerable to abuse.
The Commission after going through the press report said that a copy of the news report be sent to the Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Rajasthan for a factual report within four weeks.
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The Commission took suo-motu cognizance of the report which appeared in the "Indian Express" on August 30, 2007 and said that the incident is a serious issue of violation of human rights of these children.
As per the press report, tribal children from shepherd community, in the age group of 10-15 years from Banswara, Dungarpur and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan are trafficked to Sabarkantha and Banaskantha districts of Gujarat to work in cotton farms. The report, further said that these children were exploited and were paid 40 rupees per day for 10 hours work despite a fixed minimum wage of rupees 50. The report also said that this wage is not paid directly to the children but to the contractor who had brought them from Rajasthan. The news report further highlighted that these children including a number of girls were made to stay in makeshift shelters, in the middle of the cotton fields where they were vulnerable to abuse.
The Commission after going through the press report said that a copy of the news report be sent to the Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Rajasthan for a factual report within four weeks.
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