Child labour banned in dhabas,homes from today

New Delhi, Oct 10 (UNI) The ban on employment of children as domestic servants and in dhabas, restaurants and resorts took effect from today with the government promising to rehabilitate children released from such jobs.

The ban, imposed under the Child Labour (Prohibition&Regulation) Act, 1986, also bans child labour in motels, teashops, spas and other recreational centres.

The Labour and Employment Ministry has warned that anyone employing children in these sectors would be liable to prosecution and other penal action under the Act.

Earlier, government servants had been prohibited from employing children as domestic servants.

The decision had been taken on the recommendations of the Technical Advisory Committee on Child Labour, which stated the above occupations as hazardous for Children.

The committee, while recommending a ban on employing children in these occupations, had said that children were subjected to physical violence, psychological traumas and at times even sexual abuse.

Such incidents go unnoticed and unreported as they take place in the closed confines of the households or dhabas or restaurants. The children are also forced to work for long hours and made to undertake hazardous activities severely affecting their health and psyche, the recommendations had said.

According to the committee, children employed in roadside eateries and highway dhabas were the most vulnerable lot and were easy prey to sex and drug abuse as they came in contact with all kinds of people.

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

A toll-free helpline (1098) has been made operational from today in 70 cities to receive distress calls about employing children in the banned sectors.

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