Date:01/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/01/stories/2008050159480400.htm

Back

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Clarion call for giving more teeth to child labour law

Staff Reporter

State-level consultation held to mark Anti-Child Labour Day

“The word ’regulation’ must be removed
from the Act”
“It only has provisions for imposing fines”

— Photo: R.Shivaji Rao

Helping hand: A child extending support to a protest against child labour in Chennai on Wednesday.

CHENNAI: The Campaign Against Child Labour – Tamilnadu (CACL – TN) has underscored the need for providing more teeth to the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act.

The Act does not provide for any imprisonments for errant employers, representatives of the non-governmental organisation said on Wednesday.

“The Act only has provisions for imposing fines. Similarly it has been laid down that the age of the child must be certified by a medical officer. This clause can be done away with and instead age proof such as transfer certificates or ration cards could be used,” explained S. Thomas Jayaraj, former State Convenor of CACL – TN.

Speaking after a State-level consultation on Eradication of Child Labour, organised by CACL –TN to mark Anti Child Labour Day on April 30, he said the word regulation must be removed from the Act and it must deal only with prohibition.

The CACL was pushing for intensifying the implementation of Employment Guarantee Act and Minimum Wages Act as a measure against the parents sending their children to work.Siluvai Vasthian, State convener, CACL –TN, V. Vasanthi Devi, former Chairperson, Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women, and R. Madhan Mohan, Joint Commissioner, Department of Labour, spoke at the consultation.

A protest demanding total eradication of child labour was held in the evening. CACL-TN also sought a joint monitoring mechanism to monitor child labour in various sectors and a common school system to ensure quality education up to +2 levels.