COIMBATORE: Setting off the alarm bells, the members of the child welfare committee have found the number of child labourers, particularly among migrant families, is on the rise in the rural areas in the district.
Claiming that the situation is the fallout of the integration of National Child Labour Project (NCLP) units with the education department, the members said after the merger, the frequency and effectiveness of field inspections designed to combat child labour have declined.
A source at the child welfare committee pointed out child labour is particularly rising among Assam natives in areca nut processing units across Thondamuthur region. “Previously, the NCLP had been conducting regular inspections and were operating centres to educate children from the migrant community. However, the situation has changed after the integration,” he said.
Testifying the finding of the child welfare committee members is a door-to-door survey conducted by a group of students in Thondamuthur area from December 8 to 18, where they found many migrant children working in areca nut units. Their study revealed around 30 operational units employing Assam children and their families. They identified nearly 30 child labourers, but reported facing obstacles while attempting to speak to them and were warned against doing so.
Furthermore, the parents of the children showed little interest in enrolling them in nearby schools. Social activists working for the welfare of children indicate that similar conditions persist in areas inhabited by migrant and tribal populations, such as Valparai, Somanur, Anaikatti, and Mettupalayam.
On condition of anonymity, a student who was part of the survey said previously, the NCLP aimed to rehabilitate child labourers by providing education to help them transition into formal schooling through Special Training Centres (STCs). “In Coimbatore, there were around 26 such centres that served children rescued by the NCLP. However, since the merger, all the centres have been closed, and surprise inspections have ceased. Given that Coimbatore is an industrial hub with many industries, the issue of child labour is continuing to grow. It is crucial that the state government enforces existing laws and implements measures to prohibit child labour. Effective field-level checks are needed to uphold the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, which prohibits children under 14 from hazardous work,” he said. Chief Educational Officer R Balamurali said the department has been taking steps to admit migrant students in local schools, but seasonal migrants may not be adequately covered.
“Around 70 students from the migrant population have been admitted to schools in Thondamuthur. With support from the labour department, we are striving to ensure that measures to prevent child labour are strictly followed. We have been unable to cover seasonal migrants, but I will instruct officials to intensify efforts to enrol all children in schools,” he added.