Stringent steps to fight child labour

HYDERABAD: An eight-year-old girl Renuka could not meet chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on the occasion of the ‘World Day Against Child Labour’ meeting organised by the International Labour Organisation as the security personnel prevented her from entering the premises. Renuka accompanied by her 28 friends (all child labourers) on Wednesday came to the Dr Marri Chenna Reddy Human Resources Development Institute and wanted to speak to the chief minister but were prevented by the security guards citing lack of space inside the auditorium.Ironically, they were prevented to witness the proceedings from a distance where a galaxy of people expressed their agony and strong determination to fight child labour. But, Shaik Hussain Peera and Mancha Alluramma, both rehabilitated child labour from Markapur, had a chance to explain what they aspired to become in future to the chief minister. The Child Labour Prevention Act does not recognise domestic labour as a crime. Releasing four films on child labour, Chandrababu Naidu said the government would launch a massive campaign involving parents and children to fight against the child labour. To begin with the government would start this campaign for ten days from July 1. Naidu said that an integrated approach was necessary to contain the child labour as the poverty, population and illiteracy were the root causes of the problem. He expressed confidence that the state would achieve 100 per cent literacy and eliminate child labour by 2004. The state government has taken steps for preventing child labour by introducing laws and making primary education compulsory, Naidu said. To achieve this goal the state government in partnership with NGOs would mobilise the community against the evils of child labour as the state has largest working children in the country. Naidu said 60 per cent of the state’s children do not attend school and they are either already child workers or potential child labourers. The government would invest Rs 1 crore in each district for setting up bridge schools where the children of age group between 5 years and 14years will be given free and compulsory education. Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, school education minister Mandava Venkateswara Rao, ILOIPEC Andhra Pradesh state-based project manager M P Joseph, Shanta Sinha of M V Foundation and others spoke.