Report called for on the plight of Child Labourers in Karnataka
New Delhi, 30 December 2004
The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo-motu cognizance of the plight of child labourers in the State of Karnataka based on a news story, which appeared in a national daily on 13 December 2004.
The Commission observed that if the contents of the report are true, it raises serious issue of violation of human rights. It has asked for a factual report within 3 weeks from the Secretary, Labour Department, Government of Karnataka and Labour Commissioner, Davangere District, Karnataka.
The news item captioned "Death of another child labourer in Davangere" published on 13 December 2004 stated that according to estimates, one child labourer looses his life every four days in Karnataka and about three children employed in the domestic sector are subject to physical and sexual harassment everyday. It stated that a few such instances enter the official records and even if they do, the rate of conviction in law courts is abysmally low in cases pertaining to atrocities on children. The report highlighted the case of Taahir Ali, a 13-year-old child labourer who fell into a cauldron and sustained burn injuries while working in a puffed rice factory who died on 11 December 2004 after suffering excruciating pain for five days. As per the report this was the second such recorded tragedy in the puffed rice factories. The report also said that due to the unending nexus between the employer and the political elements as well as loopholes in the laws, it has become difficult to curb the menace. It added that there are more than 600 unregistered puffed rice factories in Davangere which employ one child labourer on an average to do hazardous work. The news report alleged that despite having full knowledge of the problem, neither the District administration nor the people's representatives have made any effort to register these industries and that children are working as bonded labourers in puffed rice factories in conditions of servitude in order to pay off debts incurred by their parents.
As per the news report of the 22 cases of child death which have come to the notice of the Campaign Against Child Labour, Karnataka since 1997, court conviction has taken place only in three cases, 6 cases have been settled for paltry compensation while 7 other cases are still pending. These reported cases are only the tip of the iceberg as the number of children working in different sectors - Industrial, Agricultural and Domestic - in the state is estimated to be more than 35 lakh, it stated.
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The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo-motu cognizance of the plight of child labourers in the State of Karnataka based on a news story, which appeared in a national daily on 13 December 2004.
The Commission observed that if the contents of the report are true, it raises serious issue of violation of human rights. It has asked for a factual report within 3 weeks from the Secretary, Labour Department, Government of Karnataka and Labour Commissioner, Davangere District, Karnataka.
The news item captioned "Death of another child labourer in Davangere" published on 13 December 2004 stated that according to estimates, one child labourer looses his life every four days in Karnataka and about three children employed in the domestic sector are subject to physical and sexual harassment everyday. It stated that a few such instances enter the official records and even if they do, the rate of conviction in law courts is abysmally low in cases pertaining to atrocities on children. The report highlighted the case of Taahir Ali, a 13-year-old child labourer who fell into a cauldron and sustained burn injuries while working in a puffed rice factory who died on 11 December 2004 after suffering excruciating pain for five days. As per the report this was the second such recorded tragedy in the puffed rice factories. The report also said that due to the unending nexus between the employer and the political elements as well as loopholes in the laws, it has become difficult to curb the menace. It added that there are more than 600 unregistered puffed rice factories in Davangere which employ one child labourer on an average to do hazardous work. The news report alleged that despite having full knowledge of the problem, neither the District administration nor the people's representatives have made any effort to register these industries and that children are working as bonded labourers in puffed rice factories in conditions of servitude in order to pay off debts incurred by their parents.
As per the news report of the 22 cases of child death which have come to the notice of the Campaign Against Child Labour, Karnataka since 1997, court conviction has taken place only in three cases, 6 cases have been settled for paltry compensation while 7 other cases are still pending. These reported cases are only the tip of the iceberg as the number of children working in different sectors - Industrial, Agricultural and Domestic - in the state is estimated to be more than 35 lakh, it stated.
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