36 Children Rescued From Zari Industry, Seelampur New Delhi
28th May 2009 , New Delhi – 36 bonded child labourers were rescued by Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) with the help of Sub Divisional Magistrate, labour department and Delhi Police from Zari Industry in North Ghonda Chowk Sub Divison Seelam Pur , New Delhi. 34 of whom have been trafficked from Sitamani , Darbhanga district of Bihar and 2 from Nepal.
The trafficker brought them from their home town with the promise of better future, but they ended up as bonded labour in Zari embroidery factory of New Delhi.
Mohammad Jubair (name changed) , 11 year old belong to Sitamani was relieved to know that now he would be able to go home. He said that “I used to love going to school and was in 3rd class. One day a known person (trafficker) came to our house and gave 500 Rs to my father and told that if he would send me to the city I would earn double the amount and also would have good city life. It has been two years now that I have been working here the Rs 1000/ month that was promised to me was never given and I don’t know if my parents got the money or not. It’s difficult to work in small and dingy room, my back and fingers ache as the sharp needle pierce my skin every time I put a wrong stitch. We are here made to work from early morning to late in night and if the order is urgent then we work whole night. I would like to go home and join the school again”. 35 other children have more or less same story.
Kailash Satyarthi, Founder of BBA said “ What a paradox it is that on one hand India voted for a good government where the power of youth is much celebrated, but on the other hand there are children and youth who are trafficked for Rs500 or 1000 and sold in a lesser price then a goat in the capital of India”. He further said “people who wear expensive heavy embroidered saree , lehanga and shervani in wedding festival and another auspicious occasions and also those who buy designers clothes from high street of London , Paris and New York must know that these clothes are not clean because they are produced by children in slavery”.
The Sub Divisional Magistrate, Seelampur A.K.Sharma said “Upon speaking to the children, we realised that they worked from 7AM-1:00PM in the night and never received any wages for their work. This clearly means that they were bonded labours. Hence, they would be given release certificates under the Bonded Labour Act. This release certificate entitles them to their rehabilitation package of Rs. 20,000, the availing of government schemes like Indira Awas Yojana, housing schemes etc on a priority basis. Most importantly, the children would be enrolled in NCLP schools.
Deputy Labour Commissioner, Lallan Singh said that it’s disheartening to see the pathetic conditions of children and action would be taken against the owners of the 10 buildings raided in which the illegal manufacturing units were running.
Mr. R. S. Chaurasia , Chairperson BBA said that “there are over 50,000 children working in different zari manufacturing units in Delhi. In the past 2½ years, BBA has rescued over 1600 children from these units”.
BBA is a people’s movement supported by more than 70,000 individuals and 750 civil society organisations.
In News:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/36-children-rescued-from-zari-
units/articleshow/4590671.cms
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090529/delhi.htm#1
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?a=jf2s4ngebad&title=37_bonded
_child_labourers_rescued_from_zari_factory_in_Delhi
http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/585130/National/1/20/1 |
