Labour department yet to submit data to SCPCR

Despite the consistent efforts by the Uttarakhand State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR), the labour department has failed to provide the proper data regarding child labourers despite  a month having passed since it was asked to provide the same  at a meeting of the commission.

The chairperson SCPCR Usha Negi had conducted a meeting on July 7 with the officials of different departments. She had expressed disappointment at the labour department’s failure to provide proper data on child labourers to the commission. During the meeting, she had ordered the departmental official concerned to submit proper data within 15 days.

Speaking about it, SCPCR member Seema Dora said, “We asked the labour department to submit data of complaints regarding child labour and also of  the rescued children within 15 days, but even a month later the department has failed to submit the information. In the meeting, the official concerned stated that only one child had been rescued as no other complaints had been filed.

The labour department is simply running away from its responsibility.  I also met Dehradun district magistrate SA Murugesan recently and asked him to do something about it to which he said that appropriate steps will be taken by him to regulate the labour department.”

State coordinator of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, Suresh Uniyal said, “After constant pressure mounted on it,  the labour department has finally formed the task force to rescue the child labourers. There is a National Child Labour Project scheme under which 1222 children are supposed to get rescued in a year following lodging of FIRs. But unfortunately, the labour department  is failing to lodge the required FIRs due to which the number of child labourers is increasing in the city.

We also met Cabinet Minister Harak Singh Rawat and informed him about the matter.

He promised us his full support for tackling the issue. It is important that we together make the State free of child labour.”