Thursday, August 30, 2012

CHILD LABOUR ACT – SUPERFICIAL REFORMS WON’T DO


On going through a news report related to bringing in a legislation amending Prohibition of Child Labour and Regulation Act 1986 in Tuesday’s ‘THE HINDU’, the govt’s reported decision to ban the children aged below 14 years old from engaging in child labour in India, especially in any form of industry, I was astounded by certain questions about which I shall dwell upon later.
As per the terms of the Act ‘it will be an offence to employ children from working not only in industries and factories but also in farms and homes if their labour is meant to serve any commercial interest’ (THE HINDU dated 29/08/2012).
Provide free and compulsory education to children below 14 is the ultimate goal of the proposed amendment to the Act.
The Bill according to Sample Survey Organisation’s report would benefit 46 lakhs children across India and which would enable them to join educational institutions. Good.
As per the to be amended Act children aged between 14-18 are categorized as ‘adolescents’ and they are banned from working in industries like explosives, mines, paint companies and all kinds of factories.
Providing favourable circumstances to children join educational institutions is a step in the right direction. Agree.
On thinking about the National Sample Survey’s report of 46 lakh children who would benefit by the amended Act certain questions naturally arose in my mind.
It is estimated that there are 78 million people across India who are without roofs over their heads. How is it possible for the parents to send their children to schools though the govt have blessed them with free and compulsory education. What is actually meant by free education? Whether they are exempted from paying fees only as per the decision of the govt of the day? Or the will the govt of the day bear expenses to cater to their minimum needs such as making provisions for nutritious food, school uniform expenses, the expenses for purchasing text books and note books etc. No idea. Besides, the homeless poor numbering about 78 million in India are mainly living along street sides or in slums even while boasting about the increasing GDP by the govt. It is the govt’s first and foremost duty to earmark necessary funds for building homes for them. Even now the govt have not given serious thoughts to this perennial problem even after more than 65 years of Independence. A long chain of govts ruled India and all entered the corridors of power by canvassing votes, promising false assurances to millions of poor people across India. With the power of their votes they got elected and got the mandate to rule the country. They promised the poor voters that they would alleviate the long-standing sufferings and hardships of the hapless, helpless ones within a stipulated period that could range from 100 days to one or two years. And after they get elected to the prestigious positions with the valuable votes of the millions of poor, no government worth its name, except doling out peanuts, did nothing worthwhile, for example, building roofs for the roofless, providing jobs for the unemployed, enabling each family to have a square meal at least once or twice a day thus helping them to remain free from hunger and poverty, food security to all, women empowerment, nutritious food for starving children – nothing of that sort is given proper and timely attention.
Contrary to the promises and assurance given in plenty to woo the poor, the politicians on getting elected to power, those who live on the street sides by pitching tents with tin sheets and old clothes who pull on each day in their slums are frequently forced to run away from their temporary habitats in the name of cleansing and beautifying the city by the authorities, how is it possible for these poor to send their children to school, be it free and compulsory education. While making amendments to the Prohibition of Child Labour and Regulation Act 1986, those who were behind preparing the amendment might not have given thoughts to the root causes plaguing the country even in the first half of 21st century.
It is further estimated that over 11 million street children are pulling on in our country. Among them about 90% know not the whereabouts of their parents even. During day time they wander through the city like free birds, do any kind of menial jobs like washing plates in hotels and flats or by sweeping floors, do the most heinous jobs like manual scavenging, pick-pocketing the commuters of local trains. And these children are addicted to cheap narcotics, even sucking varnish to get kicks, subjecting themselves to sexual abuses by paedophiles and get satisfied with even a penny or two thrown to them after temporary gratification by these perverted people, I am at a loss to know how these children are brought into the mainstream and impart them free and compulsory education. Those who visit any of the cosmopolitan cities and camp there for at least a week and making a merry go round can very well witness such children wandering through the streets wearing ragged, muddy and torn trousers with full of dirt on their bodies and I am sure such sights will force you to close your eyes in sorrow, agony and shame. What is the future of these children? With nobody willing to take care of them they grow under miserable circumstances and a few among them contract fatal diseases like TB, diarrhea, cholera, fever and succumb to these diseases. Those who survive the vicissitudes of life in the early stages of youth evolve into pucca criminals, pimps, dadas, seasoned pickpockets, even become part and parcel of the underworld and get killed sometimes by the underworld dons. During Independence day eve, Republic day eve or any such events of national importance we can very well hear the rulers proclaiming standing on huge podiums, ‘cheerful and shameless’ stories of our country’s enormous growth in the comity of nations and also can hear the oft-repeated motto – ‘today’s children are tomorrow’s rulers of our country’ or such hollow speeches from the mouths of these ‘esteemed’ rulers.

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