Children from eight States in South, Central and East India form 30% of the illegal labour force in Telangana. Most non-native child labourers are between eight and to 14 years of age.
Children rescued during SMILE, an operation initiated by Union Government and executed by Women and Child Welfare Department (WCWD) and Department of Home Affairs, come from Odisha, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
Starting 2015, SMILE -- a three week rescue operation -- has been rescuing on a average 2,000 children each year . The operation which is conducted in the first quarter of each year is expected to commence on January 15 this year.
Officials assigned to oversee SMILE said children of Odisha, Bihar and West Bengal form a chunk of rescued non-Telangana child labourers. A majority of such children work in brick kilns or beg for a living.
“When adult migrant labourers move to Telangana for work they bring children who also get employed in nearby work places,” explained Venkat Swamy, programme manager Integrated Child Protection Services (ICPS). Children who work as farm labourers are from Jharkhand and Chattisgarh, he added. The Home Department conducts a second round of rescue operations titled Muskan in June each year.
Child care homes under scanner
Rescued children, who are placed in child care homes run by government and State approved private parties, often go back to the labour market as they yearn to be with their relatives, officers said. While the State Government runs just two rescue homes, private institutions approved under the title, Place of Safety, cater to 300 to 500 migrant children.
The State homes can accommodate 100 boys and 60 girl children. “The department has been working on a lasting rehabilitation mechanism which has not yet materialised,” said Ms. Sharada, Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) of WCWD.
Non-governmental institutions for child protection and care will be inspected this month to check whether they comply with Juvenile Justice Act-2015. Juvenile justice rules-2016 will also have to be followed by these institutions. In 2017, in all 30 institutions that failed to follow child care norms were closed down after SMILE. “The institutions are first warned. If they fail to follow norms they are closed,” said Mr. Swamy.
The four-part rescue operation involves rescue of children who live in badly-maintained care institutions. Children are rescued from street and from illegal work places too. “Domestic labourers are also rescued with a collaboration between the child helpline and district police authorities,” said Ms. Sharada.
This year SMILE is expected to rescue 700 children located in Hyderabad alone.
