Post News Network
Rourkela, Feb 26: Child labour has become a major problem in Sundargarh district and particularly in the Steel City. Children are made to work laboriously in garages, roadside dhabas, tea stalls, big hotels and other places for paltry wages with no one to look after them.
Poverty and lack of social security are the main reasons for the traumatic condition of these poor children. Laws that are meant to protect children from hazardous labour are ineffective and not implemented effectively. Moreover, government schemes such as free and compulsory education for children between 6 and 14 years have failed.
Ten-year-old Raj Kumar Sahu works under extreme conditions as a scooter mechanic in a garage of Nala Road, Rourkela. “I am made to work from 8 o’clock in the morning to 8 in the evening every day and I am paid `100 per week for the work,” Sahu said. The condition of a child at a food stall near Bisra Chowk here is similar. He has to wash utensils the whole day for a very low wage.
Regional director-cum-principal of AN Khosla DAV Public School, LN Pradhan, said: “Many government schemes are being implemented but they are not
making any difference to the children. The schemes should reach the grassroots level and NGOs should also join hands to eradicate child labour.” “Benevolent persons should adopt one child. That is the best way to eradicate child labour,” he added.
When asked about lack of implementation of ‘Operation Smile’ in Sundargarh district for children’s welfare and child care units devoid of facilities, Assistant Labour Commissioner Ghasiram Tudu (DLC office, Rourkela) said: “The new Master Plan for child labour prevention, provided by the labour and ESI department, will be executed after the action plan committee meeting to be held Friday under the supervision of the collector.” He said that the District Level Monitoring Committee on labour will be constituted under the chairmanship of the district collector to curb both supply and demand of child labour according to the Child Labour Prohibition Act 1986.
Rourkela Municipal Commissioner Durga Prasad Mahapatra said: “We need to enforce laws to eliminate child labour.”