31 kids employed as labourers rescued in Ludhiana

As many as 31 child labourers were rescued by officials of the labour department in the district from November 18 to 20. During the child labour eradication week that will go on till November 26, a series of surprise inspections were carried out across the district.

The inspections were carried out in areas, such as Meharban Chungi, Gur Vihar, Basti Jodhewal and Jagirpur. As many as 16 children were rescued on November 18, followed by six on November 19 and nine on November 20. The rescued children were presented before the District Child Welfare Committee, Ludhiana, and were later shifted to childcare homes for rehabilitation.

The campaign is a part of the state-wide child labour eradication week, being observed from November 18 to 26, excluding November 23 and 24, to combat child labour and ensure the safety and well-being of children.

The district task force team included law-cum-probation officer Deepak Kumar, social worker Lovepreet Singh, counsellor Kulwinder Kaur, labour inspectors Gurpinder Kaur and Sukhwinder Singh Bhatti, representatives from Bachpan Bachao Andolan, police, revenue and education departments.

Representatives from the task force noted that the rescued children were engaged in various forms of labour in small establishments. In some cases, they were working under hazardous conditions, officials said. The operation aims to not only rescue children but also raise awareness about child rights and the legal consequences of employing minors, they said.

The labour department urged the public to report instances of child labour to help protect vulnerable children. The authorities have reiterated their commitment to eradicating child labour through strict enforcement and rehabilitation initiatives.