Berhampur: Eighteen child labourers were rescued in joint raids by different agencies from Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district of Odisha, official sources said Tuesday. The raids were conducted on eight establishments, including shops, hostels, and motor garages and snacks manufacturing units yesterday, they said.
We carried out search at Dhabas in Jajpur road and Panikoili areas on Tuesday and rescued them from 10 different dhabas. All the rescued children were produced before the district Child Welfare Committee, said Jit Mohan Hansada the district labour officer on Tuesday.
We have filed cases under Section- 3 of Child Labour Prohibition Act, 1986 against the dhaba owners,” Mr Hansda. “Out of 19 rescued children 14 tribal children were from tribal areas of Keonjhar , Jajpur , Dhenkanal and one from Jharkhand state,” added the district labour officer.
Most of the children looked malnourished,” he added. The rescued children worked for more than 13-hours-a-day and were not given wages as well. They used to do chores such as cleaning, washing dishes, cooking and serving at the dhabas, he added.
We found minors engaged in menial and hard labour in hotels and other sites,” said child protection officer, S K Sarangi adding that the rescued children would be properly rehabilitated. Notices would be issued to the owners of different establishments who have engaged child labourers for various works, said assistant labour officer (Bhanjanagar), Braundaban Sethi.
Bureau Report
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