Rajkot: Ashish Chandra Sinha, managing director of Rajkot District Cooperative Milk Producers Union, popularly known as Rajkot Dairy, was booked in connection with engaging 36 child labourers, 16 of whom were employed in the dairy itself.
Besides Sinha, three others who had engaged children as labourers in imitation jewellery making units, were also booked. Top police officials said they will question the executive committee members of the dairy if their role is found in this crime.
Rajkot Dairy is the member of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), the umbrella organization of all milk dairy cooperatives, which markets brand Amul.
Industrial safety officer Divyesh Morpara registered the complaint against Sinha with Thorala police station on Friday. He was booked under sections of the Child and Adolescent Labour (prohibition and regulation) Act and the Factories Act. In the complaint, Morapara stated that three children, who were less than 13 years, and 10, who were between aged 14 and 18 years, were found working in inhuman conditions. It’s also alleged that these children were recruited illegally and made to work day and night in hazardous conditions.
Deputy commissioner of police, zone-1, Balram Meena told TOI: “The license of Rajkot Dairy is issued in the name of Sinha and as per the Factory’s Act, the licensee becomes the accused in this case. On the basis of his statement, we will arrest the contractor and find out how these children were brought to Gujarat.”
When asked if the chairman and directors will be held responsible, Meena said, “These people are not involved in day-to-day activities, but if their role is found, they will be interrogated.”
The social justice department had raided the Rajkot Dairy on specific information and found children employed in milk packaging unit. They were engaged in handling the milk pouches moving on the conveyor belt. All these kids were brought from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and provided accommodation behind the dairy premises, that too in an unhygienic condition.
Police also booked Hasmukh Soni, Amjad Mandal and Kadarbhai on the complaint lodged by labour officer for recruiting children in the imitation jewellery unit in Shyamnagar, from where 20 children were rescued.
Moreover, the departments of social justice and labour have decided to hand over these children to the social justice departments of the states from where they belong. Officials said that in the past, once the rescued children were handed over to the parents, they were again forced to work in hazardous condition and some of them brought to Gujarat.
Child labour protection officer Kalpesh Pandya said, “This time we will hand over the children to the respective states rather than their parents. The district administration of respective states will keep a check on these children to ensure that they are not forced to work in hazardous condition again. Their status will be checked every three months.”