New Delhi: Delhi High Court was informed on Monday that more than 200 children working as child labourers here have been rescued since January and further raids are underway.
A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Datta granted four weeks to the Delhi government counsel to file a further status report in the matter and listed it for hearing on May 4.
The high court was hearing a plea by NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan, which filed a petition in the aftermath of a fire that killed over 40 people, including several minors, at a factory in the Anaj Mandi area here in December 2019. The NGO had sought a direction to the authorities to inquire into the angle of trafficking and child labour.
Advocate Prabhsahay Kaur, representing the NGO, said during the hearing that there had been “unprecedented success” in rescuing child labourers from various units here since January 11 when the last order was passed for constitution of committees in each district.
She said the government rescued more than 200 children and of the 183 complaints filed by the NGO, the authorities had taken action in most of them.
The Delhi government’s counsel told the court that in pursuance of an earlier order, a status report had been filed in the matter and added that the process of conducting raids was still going on.
In its status report, the Delhi government said 45 people were killed and 17 injured in the December 8, 2019, fire.
It informed that a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each was given to the victim’s next of kin in all the 45 cases. In the case of the 17 injured, Rs 1 lakh each was given to 13 people. Four people could only be traced only now and they are being paid the amount. “In accordance with the directions of the court, in all revenue districts, district task force on child labour has been constituted and is functioning under the chairmanship of (the) district magistrate with members from the Labour department, WCD (Women and Child Development) department, Police department, Education department, Health department and the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi).
“Regular meetings of DTF are held. NGOs working in this field including the petitioner are also invited in these meetings,” the report said.