67 children rescued in AP

Vijayawada, Aug 19 (uni) In a drive against domestic child labour, Krishna District administration has rescued 67 children from Mantada village and arrested 18 brokers involved in the racket.

Addressing a press conference here today, District Collector Navin Mittal said joint teams from the education, women and child welfare and police departments and NGOs were deputed to the village on information that children were sent for domestic work from there.

He said of the 67 children, 41 belonged to Mantada and the other 26 were from Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts. They would be sent back to their homes.

The 41 children would be kept in a children's home and provided facilities like food, clothes and education.

Cases had been booked against 18 brokers under the AP Bonded Labour Abolition Act, 1976, he said and added that the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) would conduct the cases.

The collector said cases would be filed against the employers and parents too and action initiated against them.

Mr Mittal said brokers were getting Rs 1500 per child from the employer. People of Mantada village were keeping the matter a secret.

So far, the administration had rescued 8,200 children in the district and kept them in 164 residential bridge schools, he said.

A special school has been established from August one by the Navajeevan Bala Bhavan under the sponsorship of the National Child Labour Project in Mantada village. Education and vocational training had been provided to the rescued children, besides mid-day meal and Rs 100 as stipend per month to each child.

UNI CS AA DKB VA RAI1333