24 Bihari children rescued from Surat industrial units

Surat, Nov 24 (UNI) As many as 24 child labourers were rescued by the labour department from various industrial units at Pandesara and Gopipura here.

The children between nine and 14 years of age were rescued from the embroidery and zari units in raids conducted by labour officials yesterday.

Assistant labour commissioner B N Vanzaria said ''the children were forced to work upto 16 hours a day and they were given a meagre amount of Rs 40 per week.'' The children carried identity cards with the emblem of Bihar state government, containing their name and address and issued by a village sarpanch, he added.

Labour department sources said that these identity cards may be fake made by the agents.

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