36 children rescued from factories in Madhya Pradesh, says NCPCR

Bhopal, June 15: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Friday said it has rescued as many as 36 children from three factories in Madhya Pradesh. Of the total children rescued, 25 are girls. The rescue operation was carried out with the help of the police, the NCPCR said.

NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanungo said that factories from where children were rescued have been sealed, and the authorities have been directed to take legal action against factory operators.

The rescue operation was initiated as a result of a complaint filed by an NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), which found that many commercial establishments were trafficking children from around the country and employing them in factories.

All the 36 children, who looked vulnerable, malnourished and sleep deprived, were made to work for 12-14 hours every day in these supply chain units of bakery and electronic products. In the age-group of 15 to 17 years, these children belonged to Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and neighbouring districts in Madhya Pradesh. Most of the rescued girls belonged to the nearby tribal areas.

"Children, being the easiest and most vulnerable targets, are regularly trafficked, sold and bought for labour. Parents and families, on the other hand, fall for the promises made by the traffickers and employers. We are hopeful that the government will soon pass the much needed anti-trafficking Bill to end this gross violation of child rights," Manish Sharma, Director, BBA, said.