Raj: Tribal children employed in Guj cotton fields

Jaipur, July 27: At least one lakh minor children from Rajasthan's tribal belt employed in the cotton fields of Gujarat are losing their childhood to eke out a living, says a study.

The adolesence of these children wilt away in the cotton fields of the rich Patels in Gujarat. About fifty per cent of the labourers employed in the Bt cotton fields come from four tribal districts of south Rajasthan.

A study conducted by the Daksini Rajasthan Mazdoor Union, a advocacy group of migrant labourers, found that about two lakh labourers migrate to neighbouring Gujarat for work during the months of mid July to October every year. Almost all these workers belong to tribal communities from Southern Rajasthan districts of Dungarpur, Banswara, Udaipur and Sirohi bordering Gujarat. A good number of these workers, almost fifty per cent are girl children between the age group of 10 and 14, are employed in the production of Bt cotton seeds, one of the most labour intensive farming activities in North Gujarat and Saurashtra.

Labour specialist and advisor to Dakshin Rajasthan Mazdoor Union Ashok Khandelwal says as per the study about 35 per cent households send their children for cotton works. The two districts of Sabarkantha and Banaskantha in in North Gujarat are the major area of Bt cotton cultivation.

UNI