Mangalore, June 12: Children are innocent and do not realize what rights they possess. It is therefore the responsibility of the government and the society as a whole to ensure that no encouragement is given to child labour, said Ashok G Ningannavar, Chief District and Sessions Judge and President of District Legal Services Authority.
He was speaking after inaugurating the World Anti-Child Labour Day programme jointly organized by the district administration, Department of Labour, District Child Labour Project Society and DK District Legal Services Authority, in Mangalore on Tuesday.
Stating that lakhs of children are exploited across the globe by means of child labour, child trafficking, flesh trade besides other forms, Mr. Ningannavar said that more than 90% of the workers in fireworks factories of Tamil Nadu are children. Child labour continues to exist in India in alarming numbers in spite of the law of the land guaranteeing child rights through free and compulsory education, Child Labour Act and Factories Act, he lamented.
Dharmayya, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mangalore, sharing his views with the gathering said that of late some awareness has come about among the masses owing to more cases being registered and more people being booked by the police. However, to eradicate child labour completely, total awareness has to come about in the society. People must be made aware that it is a punishable offence. They must also try to see if there are any poor families around them or help in educating children of labourers who work for them or other poor children in their vicinity, he said.
Dr. Harish Kumar, Commissioner, Mangalore City Corporation, administered an anti-child labour oath to the gathering on the occasion.
Dr. K N Vijayprakash, CEO, Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, was also present.
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