Keonjhar: Plagued by poverty, children from Juang and Bhuinan tribes here are compelled to work as labourers in Keonjhar town and supplement their family income.
Reports said a larger section of the two tribes cannot afford two square meals for the day. Many children were seen selling firewood at the town market here.
At first, when the correspondent tried to talk to these children, they refused any conversation. A local shopkeeper on the condition of anonymity said the kids will not speak to the correspondent as their employer has strictly asked them not to talk to any newsmen. However, the correspondent was able to have a word with a few of these child labourers who said their families have not been beneficiary of any social schemes and they have ran post to pillar seeking to avail them.
“We start our day from the nearby forest. We collect the firewood and carry them to the market,” said a kid.
The commute from the forest to the marketplace is not a cakewalk rather perilous. During the tortuous 12-km-long path through the hilly roads, the children are accompanied by some elderly women whom they refused to name.
A Class IV student from Thakurdehi in Bansapal block said there are six members in her family. “We couldn’t even afford the basic needs. However, my employment has generated a nice income for the family,” she said. When asked if she had to sacrifice her studies for the job she replied, “No! I wouldn’t do that. I am continuing my studies.”
However, this girl’s story is an exception as reports suggest that most of the children in the district who are engaged in manual labour have given up their studies. “We earn Rs 50-60 daily selling firewood,” she said. She informed that another girl from the same block is also engaged in manual labour.
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As per the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, amended in 2016 (CLPR Act), a ‘child’ is defined as any person below the age of 15, and the CLPR Act prohibits employment of a child in any employment including as a domestic help. It is a cognizable criminal offence to employ a child for any work. Children between age of 14 and 18 are defined as ‘adolescent’ and the law allows adolescent to be employed except in the listed hazardous occupation and processes which include mining, inflammable substance and explosives related work and any other hazardous process as per the Factories Act, 1948. Notably, the Constitution of India prohibits child labour in hazardous industries but not in non-hazardous industries as a Fundamental Right under Article 24.
PNN