Government bans child labour in homes, spas and dhabas

New Delhi, Aug 1 (UNI) The government has banned employment of children as domestic helps and in dhabas, resorts and health spas from October 10.

According to the Labour and Employment Ministry, the ban is imposed under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986 to prevent physical violence, psychological trauma and even sexual abuse of children working in these occupations.

Employment of children will also be prohibited in restaurants, hotels, motels and tea shops.

The Ministry had recently notified the Act giving employers the three-month mandatory notice.

The Ministry has warned that anyone employing children in these categories would be liable to prosecution under the Act.

Government officials have already been prohibited from employing children as domestic helps.

The decision follows the recommendations of the Technical Advisory Committee on Child Labour headed by the Director-General of Indian Council of Medical Research.

The Committee, which found these occupations hazardous for children, had recommended their inclusion in occupations prohibited for persons below 14 years under the Chkld Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act.

''The Committee while recommending a ban on employing children in these occupations had said that these children are subjected to physical violence, psychological traumas and at atimes even sexual abuse,'' the Ministry said.

According to the Committee, such incidents invariably went unnoticed and unreported as they take place in the close confines of homes, dhabas and restaurants.

''It is said that these children are made to work for long hours and are made to undertake hazardous activities severely affecting their health and psyche,'' the Ministry said.

The Committee has said that the children employed in roadside eateries and highway dhabas were the ''most vulnerable'' and were easy prey to sex and drug abuse as they came in contact with all kinds of people.

The ban is expected to go a long way in ameliorating the conditions of these hapless working children, the Ministry said.

The Labour Ministry is also planning to strengthen and expand its rehabilitative scheme, the National Child Labour Project, which already covers 250 child labour endemic districts in the country.

UNI FZ MSJ RS1520