Date:05/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/05/stories/2008120557880300.htm

Tamil Nadu

Warning against employers of child workers

Staff Reporter

Prevalence of it in unauthorised units regretted

VIRUDHUNAGAR: The State Government and the Centre were taking many measures to eradicate employing child labour in unlicensed industrial units in the district, the Virudhunagar Collector, K. Raghupathy, has said.

Chairing a training programme for Government officials in eradicating child labour under the Indus Child Labour Programme here on Thursday, he regretted prevalence of child labour in unauthorised units. “Presence of child labourers in quarries, farms, spinning mills and construction industry does not cause so much of adversity, unlike their employment in industrial units,” he said.

Mr. Raghupathy said that providing education to the children below 14 years was a basic right. “This was the right stage for a child to get education. Instead of giving them education, extracting physical labour from them is wrong. Education for all should not be just in books, but should be implemented in letter and spirits,” he said.

Stating that child labour was a sin, he said all Government officials should know their rights and duties in eradicating it. He instructed them to initiate criminal action against those who employ children.

The Deputy Coordinator of Indus Child Labour Project, Y. Jeyaprakash and its project officer, Maria, were among those who addressed the officials.