Delhi govt claims to rescue over 600 minors from child labour during 2018-19

The AAP government told the Delhi High Court Friday that it rescued over 600 minors from child labour during 2018-19 and recovered over Rs 30 lakh as rehabilitation amount and minimum wages, from their employers. The data was placed before a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao by the Delhi government in response to an application by NGO 'Bachpan Bachao Andolan' (BBA) and associate organisation 'Save the Childhood Foundation' seeking implementation of the court's 2009 judgement to prevent and eliminate child labour.

In an action taken a report, filed through its standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra and advocate Chaitanya Gosain, the Delhi government has said that it rescued 611 kids from child labour in 2018-19 of whom 587 has been restored to their families. The government said it has also recovered Rs 10,60,000, towards rehabilitation amount in respect of children below 14 years of age, and Rs 20,69,563 as minimum wages from their employers.

Apart from that 63 cases of child/bonded labour were registered and 43 employers were also arrested, the government has said in its report. Senior advocate H S Phoolka, appearing for the NGOs, said a lot more needs to be done by the Delhi government and the police to ensure proper implementation of the high court's 2009 direction.

In the July 2009 judgement, the high court had modified the existing provisions for better rehabilitation of child labourers and had widened the involvement of police in rescue operations of child labour in the city. Thereafter, November 2014, the high court had disposed of a petition seeking complete elimination of child labour from the national capital after the city's additional commissioner of labour had assured the court of action on the issue.

In its application filed in the disposed of matter, the NGOs had sought a direction to the government to file an action taken or compliance report in terms of the July 15, 2009 judgement of the high court.

(With inputs from agencies.)