Child labour on the rise in Jamshedpur

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amit kumar mishra

21 February, 2010

Child labour in Jharkhand is increasing despite of government initiative to curb it. It is important that the society and government come together to check this menace.

Seeing a child walk to school in a bright and neat uniform is a pleasure to our eyes but on contrary it has become our habit to see child labourers working in excruciating conditions like heat, dirt and grease. What is more concerning is to see how children who should be in school are toiling in backbreaking and hazardous occupations.

Though NGOs and other organization like Child Relief and You (CRY), CARE and UNICEF are working in metropolitan cities, Jamshedpur’s efforts to counter this compulsion of the marginalized society are negligible.

The government of Jharkhand is planning to have 170 schools for child labourers under National Child Labour Project (NCLP) but still doesn’t have a consensus on the number of children working in treacherous condition.

“I am working in a biscuit factory for the past two years and earlier have worked in a sweet shop for one year. I get paid Rs. 50 per day for working from 7am to 6pm”, said Lakhinder Sahu, 12 years old, who left school in class 3 and migrated from Palamu district to earn a living and sleep with animals, near a vegetable market, also known as Tina Shed.

“My father is farmer and we have a small part of land in Pulia district of West Bengal. Few years back my father had taken some money from his friend of the same village on interest. Due to insufficient income my father was unable to pay the interest so he sent me to Tatanagar where my uncle is already serving as a mechanic in a motor garage, and from then I am working as a helper in the same garage”, said Raju Mahato, 13 years old working in Sheetal Motor Garage at Bistupur.

“I was in class two when my father sent me with the Bada Babu of police station to Tatanagar to look after his son who is around 10 years old. Here I have to wash clothes of the family members and clean the house, rest of the time I have to entertain Babu’s son. I miss my family and I want to study but I hardly get time to think about all this”, said Munna Ram, 13 years old, a resident of Sonarai Thari, Deoghar.

The main cause that was identified for migration of children for work to Jamshedpur from poorer districts is the lack of employment and the failure of agricultural development. Due to meagre annual earning of Rs. 7000 to 9000, families have to deny education and send their children to work. This not only affects the displacement of the families but also the Human Development Index of the state.
Citing the grievance, state Youth Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) has decided to submit a memorandum to the governor of Jharkhand Syed Sibtey Razi to prevent child labour.

“We appeal to the governor, apart from restricting children involved in soft jobs out of compulsion, they should get study leave, insurance cover, proper place to stay and that the child should not be allowed to indulge in hazardous work”, said Vijay Khan, president, state youth INTUC.

When contacted, the SDO, Jamshedpur Kartik Kumar Prabhat said, “Till now we have not got any complaints from an individual or any organization. Engaging a child in hazardous labour is a punishable crime. We will conduct surprise checks at the hotels and other organization to find out if any child is engaged in tough job”.