Rescued girl yet to return home

HYDERABAD:  A 11-year-old bonded child labourer working for a plush household in the Erramanzil colony, was rescued by the District Child Protection Unit in January this year. However, four months on, the young girl is yet to return to her home in Odisha and continues to stay in the Nimboliadda shelter home for girls.

Senior officials from Women and Child Welfare department said that the case of bonded labourers, as with the 11-year-old, is more complex than regular labourers who are sent back home within 15 days. A special certificate is prepared which helps absolve them of the debt that they have with their ‘debtors’ and set them free.

These certificates need to be procured from the revenue officials, who are at present busy with election duties. Child rights groups allege that these temporary shelters inappropriate for such long stays, especially for children.