The Joint Task Force teams rescued about 186 children, including a few girls, engaged in various establishments in the State during the ongoing drive against child labour.
As part of the month-long drive against child labour the Labour Department, constituted about 50 teams in the State, headed by the District Collectors concerned.
The teams, comprising officials from Education, Labour, Health, Grama and Ward Sachivalayam, Police, Juvenile Welfare, Factories, Women Development and Child Welfare, Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) and other departments, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) and Child Rights Advocacy Foundation (CRAF) are participating in the raids.
“We conducted inspections on mechanic sheds, spinning mills, brick kilns, hotels, restaurants, shops, factories, aqua processing and packing units, construction sites and industries and rescued the children,” Labour Commissioner, M.V. Seshagiri Babu told The Hindu.
Cases have been registered against the employers under AP Shops and Establishments Act, 1988, Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 and also under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Commissioner said.
“The rescued children were produced before the Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) and handed over to their parents after counselling. Some children were referred to the Child Care Institutions (CCIs),” Mr. Seshagiri Babu said.
“Of the 186 children rescued, 41 were street children. A few children were rescued from hazardous conditions,” said Child Rights Advocacy Foundation (CRAF) State programme director, P. Francis Thambi, who participated in the raids.