HYDERABAD: In what may be a ray of hope for the children who were living in hazardous conditions, various departments of Telangana government are aiding their rehabilitation.
While 143 children of the 300 who were rescued as part of ‘Operation Smile’ early this month, in Pedda Kondur in Nalgonda district are now attending school, those under six years have been moved to the local anganwadi.
“The status of another 43 children who are between the age group of 14 and 18, who we assume have engaged in child labour are under inquiry. They have been telling us that they were only accompanying their parents, but that is not entirely true,” said K Nimmaiah, Chairperson of Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
There are four Odiya-speaking volunteers who are accompanying the children to school, Nimmaiah added. Around 170 children were rescued from various brick kilns at Bommalaramaram in Yadadri district.
“These children are yet to be produced before us and I am yet to get a report of the number of children and their age groups. The owners of the brick kilns have been, however, remanded as the responsibility of setting up a learning centre, a health centre, clean drinking water and clean space for living lies with them,” said Nimmaiah.
While it is a positive move, the resources available at the schools and the anganwadi centres are insufficient to meet the needs of the number of children they’re catering to, said R Venkat Reddy, national convenor of MV Foundation, that works against child labour.
“Hyderabad Police has done its job by bringing the issue to light, however, there is unpreparedness regarding the rehabilitation of these children. Children are going to school, but they are not able to engage with the teachers,” said Reddy. Mid-day meals are also not reaching them. Books and uniforms are a far fetched dream, he added.
Labour dept’s role
This will soon be streamlined, said E Gangadhar, joint commissioner of the labour department. “There is a new State Action Plan that has been drafted and will be presented before all departments concerned and officials on January 16, soon after which it will be implemented. This Action Plan will elaborate on the role of various departments.
Setting up of work site schools as a part of ‘Sarva Siskhya Abhiyaan,’ where the syllabus and teaching methods cater to migrant children will be implemented,” said Gangadhar.
He added that there were plans to replicate a pilot project where TS and Odisha govts will track the movements of migrant labourers.