29 May 2009, NEW DELHI: As many as 36 bonded child labourers were rescued from zari units in Seelampur area on Thursday. The rescue operation was jointly carried out by state government's labour department, Delhi Police and NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan.

Among the rescued children, 35 are from Bihar's Darbhanga district. Most of the children were being trafficked to the capital after their parents were lured with money and promises of a bright future for their kids.

Eleven-year-old Mohammad Jubair (name changed), who belongs to Sitamarhi, was too relieved to know that now he would be able to go home. He said he used to love going to school and was in class III when he was brought to the city. "One day a person (trafficker) came to our house and gave Rs 500 to my father, telling him that if he would send me to the city, I would earn double the amount and would have a good life,'' Jubair said.

He revealed that he had been working in Delhi for the past two years. "The Rs 1000 a month that was promised was never given to me and I don't know if my parents got any money. It's difficult to work in a small and dingy room, I am having a backache. My fingers are aching too as the sharp needle pierces my skin every time I put a wrong stitch,'' Jubair added.

Other boys rescued from the units said that they were made to work from early morning to late in night and if the order was urgent, then they needed to the entire night.

Sub-divisional magistrate, Seelampur, A K Sharma said that these children reportedly worked from 7am to 1 in the night and never received any wages.

Deputy labour commissioner Lallan Singh said that it was disheartening to see the pathetic conditions of the children. He said that action would be taken against the owners of the 10 buildings housing the illegal embroidery units.

R S Chaurasia, chairperson of the NGO, said that there were over 50,000 children working in different zari units in Delhi.

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