Child Labor: A Tale of Agony and Shame in India

Bangalore: Child labor is extensively rampant in India where young children are employed for hazardous jobs in factories. The rights of these children are violated as it steals them of their dreams and possibilities, depriving them of education.

In a recent case, 50 child laborers aged 3 to 15 years were rescued from gunny bag and an incense factory in Bangalore, reported Arun Dev for TNN. A raid was carried out by the police and an NGO and it exposed the disturbing and unhygienic conditions under which the children were made to work. The children were from Bihar, Assam, Orissa and Punjab and were staying in the factories where they worked from 9 am to 12 midnight every day, said the officials.

The children revealed that their daily tasks included stitching jute bags and rolling incense sticks. Further, they had to sleep in dingy rooms where they worked, and they did not bathe for days. A teen who was rescued said "There are no fixed numbers but I ended up stitching about 40 bags on any day," as reported by TNN. He added "We eat, sleep and work in the room."  His working hours were about 15 hours a day.

About 10 children worked in a small 8 feet by 8 feet room and an adult would keep a watch on them. It was also revealed that lunch break and toilet breaks were the only time they took leave of work.

It was noted that while the older boys were offered a salary, it was rarely paid and daily meal was the only thing they got.

Also Read: Indian Manufactured Items Blacklisted in U.S. for Child Labour