Agra: 26 business units pay Rs 1.78 lakh penalty for employing kids below 14 years

AGRA: Twenty-six business establishments have recently paid Rs 1.78 lakh as penalty to the district labour department for employing children below 14 years.

The court of chief judicial magistrate after hearing cases registered by the labour department, last month, had found the owners of 26 businesses guilty under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. So, they were asked to pay penalties. In fact, in 2018, the labour department, during its special drive between June 20 and July 5, had rescued around 30 children from these businesses.

The penalized establishments involve some of the city’s well known businesses. Those found guilty by the court include a petrol pump, a shoe shop, an automobile repairing center, a garment shop, a medical store, a furniture and interior decoration center, a dairy and sweet shop and grocery dealers, among others. Out of total 26, four businesses have deposited penalty of Rs 20,000 each, two businesses Rs 5,000 each and the remaining 20 have paid Rs 4,500.

Agra divisional labour commissioner Dharmendra Kumar Singh said, “The cases registered against the 26 businesses identified for employing child labour were presented in the court of the chief judicial magistrate. The department submitted all the required evidences. Finally, on March 9, during the national Lok Adalat, the court found all the 26 businesses guilty. And Rs 1.78 lakh has been recovered as penalties from these businesses.”

The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, prohibits employment of children below 14 years of age. It also bars employment of children below 18 years in hazardous works.

“The labour department is constantly working to curb child labour. Besides the businesses, action will be taken against parents who send their children for work. The penalty recovered from the businesses will be used in welfare of the children,” Singh said.