Mysuru: Officials of Labour department have conducted 1893 raids and rescued 32 child workers including two kids below the age of 14 at Saligrama and 30 who are between 14-18 years of age in Mysuru district during April 2023-May 2024.
Barring one child in Mysuru city and one in T Narsipura taluk, 30 kids were produced before Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of Mysuru and were sent to government home for boys.
FIR has been filed in two cases, 28 are filed in JMFC (Judicial Magistrate First Class) Court of Mysuru. They have collected a fine of Rs 42,000. Two of those kids are now studying in different schools, according to Mysuru district Labour officer, Rajesh Jadhav.
Last year, they even checked eight spots to check if any kids were involved in beggary; they have even verified three places where migrant workers were employed.
Last year, they conducted as many as 1093 raids in Mysuru city and have rescued 13 kids.
In Hunsur taluk, they conducted 148 raids and rescued five kids. In Periyapatna taluk, they carried out 103 raids and rescued one kid.
They have conducted 132 raids in Nanjangud taluk and rescued three from there. Saligrama taluk saw 70 raids, where two child workers below the age of 14 were rescued.
They have conducted 146 raids in T Narsipura taluk and rescued two kids and produced one child before CWC. In H D Kote taluk they conducted 82 raids and rescued two kids. They conducted 36 raids in Sargur taluk.
From April 1, 2024, onwards they carried out 356 raids in Mysuru district and rescued 11 child workers including one each in Mysuru, Periyapatna and in K R Nagar taluks, eight in Hunsur taluk.
All 11 kids were produced before CWC and sent to government home for boys. One kid from Hunsur taluk has been sent to his native Rajasthan, while seven are studying in different schools, one in ITI college and one is studying in a Government PU college now.
"This year alone kids are rescued from various places including furniture shops, grocery shops, vehicle service centers, cloth shop, fast food shop, fruit shop, panipuri center.
"Since kids are very sincere in their work and they work for lesser salaries, most employers employ them. Out of poverty these kids had taken the works inevitably," said Labour officer Rajesh Jadhav.
He added that, last year they have conducted 16 legal awareness programmes, 21 awareness events, nine awareness jaathas, 11 street plays to create awareness.
Labour department is creating awareness on Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act of 1986; and Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act 2016 which prohibits employment of children below 14 years in all areas .
It also has provisions for prohibition on employment of adolescents (14-18 years) in the scheduled hazardous occupations and processes; also about punishment (penalty and imprisonment) under these provisions.
"All the kids under 14 years of age are entitled for free education free . So any kids who are currently employed or general public who come across any child workers can contact 1098/112," Jadhav said.