Delhi HC told – ThePrint –

New Delhi, Mar 27 (PTI). The Delhi High Court received information Monday that more 200 children who were child laborers in Delhi had been saved since January. Additional raids are currently underway.

Chief Justice Satish Chaudra Sharma and Justice Sachin Datat granted Delhi government counsel four weeks for filing a new status report. The matter was then listed for hearing on May 4.

The high court heard a petition filed by NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan in the wake of a fire which claimed more than 40 lives in a factory in Anaj Mandi, here in December 2019.

The NGO requested that the authorities be directed to investigate the issue of child labour and trafficking.

Advocate Prabhsahay Kaur, representing the NGO, said during the hearing that there had been “unprecedented success” in rescuing child labourers from various units here since January 11 when the last order was passed for constitution of committees in each district.

She stated that more than 200 children were saved by the government and that of the 183 complaints made by the NGO she had received, most were dealt with by the authorities.

The Delhi government’s counsel told the court that in pursuance of an earlier order, a status report had been filed in the matter and added that the process of conducting raids was still going on.

According to the Delhi government’s status report, 45 people were killed and 17 others were injured by the December 8th fire.

It informed that a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each was given to the victim’s next of kin in all the 45 cases. 13 people were each awarded Rs 1 lakh in the case of the 17 victims. The amount has been paid to four people who could not be located.

“In accordance with the directions of the court, in all revenue districts, district task force (DTF) on child labour has been constituted and is functioning under the chairmanship of (the) district magistrate with members from the Labour department, WCD (Women and Child Development) department, Police department, Education department, Health department and the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi).

“Regular meetings of DTF are held. NGOs working in this field including the petitioner are also invited in these meetings,” the report said.

The petitioner had also provided a list of 183 locations to the DTFs. DTFs began action on the locations. The report of the joint and deputy labour commissioners has been sent.

According to the report, search and rescue operations will be complete within two weeks.

According to the high court, who had previously ordered that children found working in units be saved and rehabilitated after they were discovered, children who should have been studying in schools were made to work in places that were unsafe and unsanitary and were prone to accidents.

According to the NGO, many of these units are still operating in the Anaj Mandi and Sadar Bazar areas. The fire tragedy that occurred December 8, 2019 meant that the compensation was not yet paid despite having been around for three years.

The high court, in its January 11 order, had said it was “extremely disturbing” that the government was taking a lackadaisical approach and showing extreme insensitivity in the case that had resulted in the deaths of 45 people, including 12 children aged between 12 and 18.

The Delhi Police, in its status report of January 10, had informed that of the 45 deceased, nine were minors — the youngest being 12 years old — and six children suffered injuries.

It had said the factory where the fire broke out was illegally storing and using highly inflammable material without safety precautions and said that the deaths occurred due to burn injuries or suffocation and after an investigation, a charge sheet for commission of offences under the Indian Penal Code and the Juvenile Justice Act had been filed against the accused persons, including the building’s owner and manager.

The petitioner had filed a motion to the court alleging that child labourers were employed by the factory where the fire broke out December 8, 2019.

It was also claimed that the majority of the children came from Bihar where they were brought to the factories by traffickers.

The plea contended that the minors were “tutored and coerced” by the traffickers to say they were 19 years old and only visiting the factory if caught by the authorities.

The NGO has also alleged that employment of child labour at the factory was with the knowledge of state authorities who were “attempting to cover it up”.

In addition, the plea claimed child labour was being used in Delhi under the control of state authorities. Accordingly, the petition sought directions from authorities to perform a time-bound comprehensive study of child and bond labour in the capital, and rescue children who are awaiting complaints.

It has also sought directions to the authorities concerned to “rehabilitate, compensate and recover minimum wages of the child labour at the Anaj Mandi establishments” and to seal establishments, units or factories where child labour is found. PTI SKV SZM

This report was generated automatically from the PTI news service. ThePrint is not responsible for the content.