Child workers rescued from spinning mills, brick kiln in Namakkal

The district-level task force consisting of officials from various departments, including revenue, labour and police, District Child Protection Unit, and childline officials, rescued two labourers, aged 13, and 25 child workers (aged below 18) from spinning mills and a brick kiln on Wednesday.

The day-long operation ended on Wednesday evening in the district.

Two girls, aged, 13 who worked in a spinning mill at Padaiveedu in Komarapalayam taluk and two boys, aged 16, were rescued from a brick kiln.

During the raid, the officials found the mills and brick kiln did not maintain proper registers for the child workers aged below 18, and proper hostel facilities were also not provided to them. The mills did not follow the rules and made the children work more than six hours without a break. Officials registered cases against the mills and the brick kiln.

Speaking to reporters, District Collector Shreya P. Singh said that the district-level task force, divided into Namakkal and Tiruchengode sub divisions raided various places on Wednesday. During the raid, it found some mills operating hostels for female workers without proper registration. The firms should not employ children below the age of 18. Under the adolescent category (age group 14–18), also, firms should follow the specific conditions. Stern action will be taken against erring factories, Ms. Singh added.