The Department of Industrial Safety and Health has issued a show-cause notice to a manufacturing unit of Naidu Hall Apparels, located in Pallitheru, near Ambur, for employing adolescent girls without receiving fitness certificates (FCs).
As per the Tamil Nadu Factories Rules, the company should have obtained the fitness certificates of the adolescent girls (aged between 14-18 years), from the Department of Industrial Health and Safety.
Doctors would look into the nature of work and environment of the unit. A fitness certificate would be issued only if the work is light and involves minimal physical effort, said an official.
The Child Labour Abolition Support Scheme (CLASS) officials had also slapped a fine of Rs 20,000 on the unit for employing a child labourer, P Nagajothi (13), as helper and paying her Rs 1,800 per month. The management paid the penalty and submitted an affidavit assuring that it would not appoint child labourers in the future.
The series of violations came to light during a surprise check conducted by Tirupattur sub-collector Shilpa Prabakaran, following a direction from the NHRC on June 17.
The check was a fallout of a petition submitted by Adivasi Solidarity Council in March, on child labour and bonded labour systems prevailing in several parts of TN. Of the 380 girls working in the unit, officials found that 27 were adolescent.