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District administrators and enforcement officers besides child welfare activists seen here during raids that were conducted in Dimapur for underage children working as labourers.[/caption]
Dimapur, Sep. 12 (EMN): The immediate response team (IRT) of the Dimapur district task force on child labour has rescued 41 children from garages, workshops, and hotels and shops from various locations in Dimapur on September 12. The children are said to be in the age group 10-14 years.
The team conducted rescue operations led by the deputy commissioner of Dimapur Sushil Kumar Patel, it was informed. The children were rescued from Duncan, Notun Basti, Churches colony, Khermahal, Golaghat road, and from the Eros Lane area in Dimapur proper.
A press release from Neiketulie Namdau, a nodal coordinator of child welfare nongovernmental organisation Childline 1098 at Dimapur, stated that the rescued children were produced before the Child Welfare Committee of Dimapur along with their parents and guardians.
It informed that the employers were summoned before the CWC during which penalty was imposed in accordance with statutory provisions; they were made to sign bonds declaring that they would not employ in the future any children who are under 14 years of age.
The attendees were also sensitised on the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, Child and Adolescent Labour and Prohibition Act, and the Right to Education Act, the updates informed.
The chairman of the Dimapur district task force on child labour, Deputy Commissioner Sushil Kumar Patel, spoke to the children about the negative impact of child labour and the importance of education. He encouraged the children to pursue education and not engage in or seek employment in any work so that they would be educated and become successful citizens in the future.
The task force has informed that the authorities would be conducting more of such rescue operations and raids regularly in different locations. It warned that any person found employing children less than 14 years of age would be dealt with strictly in accordance with statutory regulations. The penalty includes fine, imprisonment or both, and even cancellation of trade license.
The IRT consisted of N Zubenthung Ngullie, subdivision officer (civil) for Dimapur; Pikato Tuccu, district child protection officer, Dimapur; Tiamenla, assistant commissioner of police; Subonenba Longkumer, nodal director of Childline 1098; Yolise Sangtam, Labour inspector; and members of Childline at Dimapur.