Child workers throng State Secretariat !
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 21 2009: Even though laws have been enacted to discourage and forbid child labour, it is altogether a different picture in the State Secretariat where the Ministers as well as the officials have been enjoying tea and snacks served by young children who work as runners in the canteen.

A child on his way to serve tea and snacks

The backbone of theState administration, it is a common sight in the Secretariat building to see these young boys scurrying from one office room to another serving tea and snacks to the Ministers and officials alike regardless of the laws enacted to prevent engagement of young children in work places like hotels, restaurants or as domestic helps.

Carrying trays and glasses in one hand and tea pot and snacks on the other, these young runners dash from one room to another so as to be on time to serve the ordered goods on the tables of the Ministers and the officials.

The tattered rags that pass off as clothes covering their tiny and decrepit bodies also appear not to have known water and detergent for a long time, yet the tea and snacks served by them are being relished by these law making and enforcing Ministers and officials all these years.

On how the anti-child labour laws are being implemented in the State, an official of the Labour Department disclosed that even if the Inspectors of the Department manage to rescue child labourers and approach the police for registering FIR against their employers, the police always restrain them from registering the cases on alleged ground of lacking evidences to prove that the child is a minor.

Following such instances, the Labour Commissioner has asked the officials of the Department to submit in writing about the difficulties being faced in carrying out their duties, the official informed, adding that the Labour Commissioner would take up these written submissions at the level of the Chief Secretary and the DGP for discussion and necessary measures.

It may be noted here that under the provisions of the National Child Labour Policy, the Centre has already approved setting up of a school in Manipur specially for the young children who have given up their studies after being engaged as child labourers.