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New Delhi, 14 November 2006: Suhail was beaten at the slightest pretext during his work at the zari unit in Laxmi Nagar. He was never been paid a single rupee for his work. He was given little to eat and was allowed no break at work or freedom to move. All of 12 years, Suhail recounted his light to the activists of Bachpan Bachao Andolan who carried out a raid and rescue operation today in Khurejji, Geeta Colony in East Delhi and released 78 children. The majority of the children belong to Charatra in Jharkhand and Gaya in Bihar. These children mostly in the age group 9-14 are not aware of the details of the person who brought them to Delhi.
The living conditions were appalling. More than 40 children each were working in ill-ventilated small rooms which acted as their work as well as living area. Many of the children have not received any wages at all. A few got a meager Rs. 50 or Rs 100 per week. Suhail summed up the frustration thus: “I was looking for a chance to escape from this hell. I want to go to school. I would be ready to receive any amount of beatings at school, so that I can study rather than stay here and get beaten to do work that I am forced to do here.” The children expressed relief and joy at being released from the clutches of employer.
To rehabilitate the children, the Bonded labour Act has been invoked under which they will be entitled to Rs 20,000 from the State. Apart from this, the Centre will help families and parents of these children get employment schemes. The children will initially be given Rs 1000 and issued release certificate under the Bonded labour Act.
Zari industry in Delhi alone is believed to employ more than 100,000 children as per BBA’s research on the industry. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was also lodged in the Delhi High Court early this year by Save the Childhood Foundation (SCF), a partner organization of BBA. Acting on the PIL, the court had directed the Delhi government to take adequate measures to eliminate child labour not just in the zari industry but also the other forms of child labour. But the rescue of over 100 children from the city casts doubts about the measures that the government is taking in this regard.
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