Latest news with #ChildLabour(ProhibitionandRegulation)Act
New Indian Express
06-08-2025
- New Indian Express
40 people freed from bonded labour in Andhra Pradesh
ONGOLE: In a significant rescue operation, Prakasam district authorities, alongside police and NGO representatives, freed 40 individuals from bonded labour at two shrimp farms near Ananthavaram village of Tanguturu mandal. The rescued group comprised 17 individuals from Odisha and 23 from Chhattisgarh, including 11 women and a minor. The operation, conducted over the weekend, targeted Golden Aqua Farm and Ram Brothers Aqua Farm, with raids in Tanguturu, Pakaala, and Pasukuduru areas. Cases have been filed against the farm managements under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, and Minimum Wages Act. Prakasam Collector Thameem Ansariya issued relief certificates to the labourers and ensured their safe return to their native states, coordinating with officials from Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The rescued workers were initially moved to a relief centre in Ongole after their statements were recorded at the Tanguturu PS. The labourers, trafficked from vulnerable tribal and rural communities in Koraput and Malkangiri in Odisha, and Bastar, Dantewada, and Kanker in Chhattisgarh, were subjected to inhumane conditions. They were lured with a Rs 15,000 advance via UPI and promises of decent jobs, and faced exploitation upon arrival.
New Indian Express
23-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Orissa HC expresses shock over manual drain cleaning, orders CMC to use machines
CUTTACK: Expressing alarm over the practice of manual cleaning of drains by engaging labourers, the Orissa High Court has directed the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) to take immediate steps to shift to mechanised process and submit a report by July 31. 'This court expects that the inhuman methodology resorted to would be stopped immediately and efforts shall be made to undertake the drain cleaning activities by deploying technologically advanced drain cleaning machines,' the bench of Justices SK Sahoo and V Narasingh, which is dealing with PILs on civic issues in Cuttack city, said. The court took note of media reports on how labourers, even minor boys, are engaged in the daunting task of clearance of wastes, deposits and sewage from the storm water channels and big drains in the city. While they enter the drains without proper safety gear or safety measures, no CMC staff is monitoring the operations, thereby endangering the lives of the workers. The bench observed, 'Needless to say, ensuring the health and safety of labourers is crucial for productive outcome. This involves implementing measures to prevent work-related injuries, diseases and hazards. When the labourers are used to clean the big drains manually, it very often leads to hazardous conditions and can lead to injuries or fatalities due to toxic fumes and coming in contact with sharp objects like broken glasses, metals and spikes besides poisonous snakes in the water bodies.' Accordingly, the bench ordered the CMC to finalise a plan of action to streamline the cleaning process of the drains by adopting suitable machines and training of manpower and place it in the court during on the next date on July 7. The bench also directed CMC to make sure there is no violation of the provisions of Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act in their operations.
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Time of India
HC directs CMC to stop manual drain cleaning
1 2 Cuttack: Orissa high court has taken sou motu cognisance of a media report highlighting hazardous manual drain cleaning by Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) by allegedly engaging minor boys in clear violation of safety norms and child labour laws and directed the immediate halting of "such unsafe and unethical practices". The special bench for PILs concerning civic issues in Cuttack expressed serious concern over the "inhumane methodology" adopted by CMC. The bench of Justices S K Sahoo and V Narasingh said, "Needless to say, ensuring the health and safety of labourers is crucial for productive outcome. This involves implementing measures to prevent work-related injuries, diseases and hazards." "Manual drain cleaning often leads to hazardous conditions and can result in serious injuries or fatalities due to exposure to toxic fumes, sharp objects and even poisonous snakes," the bench added. The court directed that such manual and dangerous methods of drain cleaning must be discontinued immediately. It emphasised the need to shift to safer and technologically advanced cleaning mechanisms and underscored that no violation of the child labour law would be tolerated. The media report had highlighted an incident where labourers, including minors, were engaged in clearing stormwater drains carrying sewage without any protective gear. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy One, Get One Free, Up To 50% Discount, Expiring Soon Original Adidas Get Offer Undo A labourer was seen balancing on a motor tube and swimming bare-bodied through the main stormwater channel (MSWC-I) from Matru Bhawan to Nua Bazaar, using only a bamboo stick to remove weeds. Minors were also reported to be working along the banks to clear vegetation in what appears to be a violation of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. In its order dated June 19, the bench instructed CMC to prepare and submit a comprehensive action plan by July 31. The plan must outline strategies to streamline drain cleaning operations, prevent waterlogging, deploy suitable machinery and ensure proper training of workers. The matter will be taken up for further consideration on July 31.
The Hindu
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Efforts to abolish child labour should not be merely symbolic, says Judge Amarnath
Senior Civil Judge Amarnath K.K., who is also the member-secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, said here on Thursday that efforts to abolish the scourge of child labour should be backed by real programmes and not be confined to symbolic events. He was speaking at the inauguration of 'World Day Against Child Labour', held at Maharaja's Pre-University College. The judge said that children are pushed into labour at an early age and are deprived of education. The social practice of families depending on child labour for livelihood must be completely eliminated, and is the responsibility of every citizen, he said. The government has enacted Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, and this should be implemented in full measure, said Mr. Amarnath. He pointed out that there were 27 laws in the Constitution relating to child-related offences, with Sections 2, 3, and 14 playing key roles. Veena S.R., Assistant Labour Commissioner and member-secretary of the District Child Labour Project, said that parents must encourage children to prioritise learning over earning, and education must not be interrupted in early years. She said society should cultivate the habit of enrolling children in schools if they are found engaged in work. Under the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986, employing children below 14 years or adolescents in any form of labour is a criminal offence,' Ms. Veena said. Senior advocate N. Sundar Raj said poverty and illiteracy are the primary reasons for the increase in child labour in India. Citing various articles of the Indian Constitution and the laws that prohibit employment of children below 14 years in any hazardous occupation, Mr. Raj said under Article 21A, the government is mandated to provide free and compulsory education to children between 6 and 14 years. Underlining the increase in juvenile delinquency and POCSO cases, he said there are about 900 cases pending in district courts. Child Welfare Committee Chairperson Ravichandra and others were present. The event was organised by the district administration, District Legal Services Authority, Zilla Panchayat, Department of Women and Child Development, the police department, and NGOs.
New Indian Express
06-06-2025
- New Indian Express
‘Inhumane' Cuttack municipal body forces workers to clean drain without safety gear
CUTTACK: The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has continued engaging sanitary workers in manual scavenging of drains without providing them any protective gear, in blatant violation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act-2013. One such incident came to light on Thursday when a man, holding a motor tube, was seen swimming bare body in the main storm water channel (MSWC-I) stretching from Matru Bhawan to Nuabazar, cleaning the weeds with the help of a bamboo stick. Not only that, some minor boys were also allegedly engaged at the site to remove the weeds from the banks of the drain in violation of the Child Labour(Prohibition and Regulation) Act. 'Venturing into drains bare body for manual cleaning work is not just risky but also life-threatening as the channels contain dirty, polluted water. They are laden with sharp items like broken glasses, metals and spikes besides poisonous snakes in the waterbodies. Also, there was no one present at the spot to supervise the work,' alleged city-based activist Jitendra Kumar Sahoo. Even though manual scavenging has already claimed many lives in the past, the civic body has seemingly not yet learnt its lesson and openly violating the law. In April 15, 2021, two workers had died of asphyxiation and another had become critical while cleaning a sewerage system of 15-ft depth at CDA-sector-10.
