One child was rescued on Monday during the week-long drive against child labour being led by the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) under the Women and Child Development department.
The 17-year-minor, who hails from another State, was rescued from a shop in the Chala market here.
The drive by the DCPU is part of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)’s celebration of Elimination of Child Labour Week as part of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to mark 75 years of Indian independence. The drive in 75 places across the country, including Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, began on June 12 that is observed as World Day against Child Labour.
NCPCR consultant Prashant Dwivedi was present for the rescue operations in places where children are likely involved in labour, particularly sectors such as scrap and automobile sectors.
The raid that began around 10.30 a.m. and went on till 2 p.m. on Monday was held in the Chala, Killipalam, and Aryasala areas.
Later in the day, the team that included the District Child Welfare Committee (CWC), District Legal Services Authority, Labour Department, police, Childline, and Bachpan Bachao Andolan, and outreach workers, conducted operations in Kovalam.
During the drive, shopkeepers and others were sensitised to the need to prevent child labour and handed over brochures regarding the same.
The underage child who was rescued on Monday was working in a shop as a salesperson and not engaged in any hazardous activity, officials said. The child was presented in front of the CWC and shifted to a government home. The Labour department will give a report and only then would further steps for the child’s rehabilitation be taken, the officials said.
On Tuesday, the drive was held at the Central railway station and Kinfra apparel park in the morning and Varkala in the evening. However, no children involved in child labour were found during the inspections.
