BENGALURU: The Karnataka labour department has intensified its crackdown on child labour, having conducted more than 20,975 inspections in the first seven months of this year and collected more than Rs 9.31 lakh in fines. However, the conviction rate has seen a steady decline over the same period.


According to official data, the department rescued 365 children and identified 241 violations until July 31, this year.Of the 140 prosecutions initiated, only nine have resulted in convictions, highlighting a downward trend in successful prosecutions.
While financial penalties have shown a steady growth, rising from Rs 5 lakh in 2021 to Rs 9.3 lakh in 2024, convictions have dropped significantly from 31 in 2021 to just nine in 2024.
Addressing the low conviction rates, joint labour commissioner SB Ravikumar, said: "Convictions and delays in convictions are not in our hands. These are booked under criminal cases, and it is the law that has to take action."
Ravikumar said fines ranging between Rs 6,000 and Rs 50,000 are determined by the courts.
Between Jan 1, 2021, and July 31, 2024, the department carried out more than 1.2 lakh inspections and rescued 1,968 children. The total number of violations detected during the said period was 1,013, which resulted in penalties of more than Rs 27.9 lakh, saw initiation of 629 prosecutions, but only 79 convictions.
"Every time we are informed about child labour, we raid the place," AH Umesh, the deputy labour commissioner, said, explaining the department's response to tip-offs, adding that not all calls always turn out to be true.
Umesh noted a shift in child labour patterns, stating: "Over the years, a lot of child labour is mainly seen in garages, hotels, and homes as domestic help. The pattern continues, and we have started observing child labour mainly at bag-making workplaces."
Meanwhile, a significant change has been observed in Bengaluru's child labour demographics. "The number of intrastate migrant children working as child labourers has decreased drastically, and it is interstate migrant children who are mostly being rescued. Parents deliberately send these children to work to earn their livelihood," Umesh said.
"When we raid a workplace, we are told the child just happens to be there and is not working," Umesh said, adding that some children are rescued multiple times after parents pluck them out of rehab.
Department officials also highlighted that most rescued children belong to the ST (Scheduled Tribe) caste group and are provided counselling and shelter after rescue.