Madurai to be declared child labour free district
Staff Reporter

* Various departments have been involved in the exercise

MADURAI: The district is all set to be declared child labour free on June 30.
Based on an action plan formulated by the district administration, the authorities here are swiftly taking steps to identify child labourers, put them back in regular schools and rehabilitate their families.

The District Inspector of Labour, V. Ayyanar, said on Sunday that several steps have been initiated to eradicate child labour in the district and that the district is being declared child labour free for the first time. Various government departments have been involved in the exercise and the Collector, D. Raajendiran, has been consistently tracking the progress of the implementation of the plan, he said.

According to the 2004 records, there were 197 child labourers in the district and the process of putting them in schools had been undertaken by the administration. Welfare measures were initiated under the poverty alleviation programme and departments such as the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation (THADCO) and the Department of Child Welfare have been involved in giving financial assistance and taking rehabilitation measures.

Massive rally taken out :

Hundreds of school students and representatives from various organisations and self-help groups took out a massive rally to mark the Anti-Child Labour Day observed on Sunday. The Collector flagged off the rally at Goripalayam and walked with the students, who raised slogans against child labour.

The District Chief Educational Officer, K. Sridevi, said the aim of the rally was to create a larger public awareness against child labour and ensure that the children had the right kind of childhood. Representatives from the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by its president, S. Rethinavelu, and members of the Hotel Owners' Association took part in the rally. Officials of the Education Department, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, and other government departments and voluntary organisations also took part in the rally.

Important role for parents :

Later, addressing participants at the culmination of the rally at Gandhi Museum, Mr. Rethinavelu said that parents played an important role in eliminating the menace as they are responsible for sending their children to school.

"If parents look for short-term benefits the children will become a burden to the parents and society in future because of the lack of education," he pointed out. The chamber members did not employ child labour in their business units, he said.

The Assistant Elementary Educational Officer, S. Madhavan, said competitions were conducted for schoolchildren and that the prizes would be distributed to the winners at the Collectorate on Monday.

Pledge taken:

The Mayor, C. Ramachandran, the Commissioner (in-charge), C. Rajamani, the Deputy Mayor, Ghouse Batcha, officials and employees of the Madurai Corporation took an anti child labour pledge on Friday in connection with the Anti-Child Labour Day.

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu.