JORHAT, Aug 3 - As part of the efforts of the Jorhat district administration to declare the entire district child labour free, the administration yesterday for the first time declared two revenue villages as free from child-labour.
Disclosing this to The Assam Tribune today, Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Narayan Konwar, said that Dulakaharia and Metali Holongpar villages were officially announced as child-labour free.
The Deputy Commissioner said that the development happened after the gaonburah (village headman) of the villages (same person for both the villages) gave a written declaration to the administration through the Labour Welfare department that as per his knowledge there was no child labour aged 14 years or below being employed in any firm/establishment/household within the villages.
Konwar said that the declaration has been given by the gaonburah following verification by officials of the department regarding zero employment of child labour.
He said that in the form prepared by the Labour Welfare department office, the gaonburah of the two villages Jogananda Borborao signed the official declaration.
The declaration made in the form further stated that the gaonburah did not have any knowledge regarding employment of any youth in the age group of 14 to 18 years in any hazardous activity in the said villages.
The gaonburah also pledged in the form that he will inform the government authorities if any violation of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, amended in 2016, was observed by him.
The Deputy Commissioner said that under the initiative the remaining 578 revenue villages of the district too will be declared child-labour free.
He said that he will soon hold a meeting with representatives of various tea growers� association and bodies of other business establishments like hotels, restaurants etc., regarding full implementation of the CL Act.
Konwar said that all employers have to submit written declaration like the gaonburahs stating that they have not and will not employ child labour and will follow the CL Act.
The Deputy Commissioner said necessary legal action will be initiated promptly against those found to be violating the law.
