Udupi: District and Sessions Judge Venkatesh Naik T said that the use of child labourers in any industry is a punishable offence with a penalty of up to Rs 50,000 and imprisonment of 2 years as per the law in India.
He was speaking at an awareness programme on prevention of child labour jointly organised by the district administration of Udupi, District Law Services Authority Udupi, Labour Department, District Child Labour Planning Association, Udupi Sangha and Bhandarkar’s Arts and Science College at Kundapur at the R N Shetty Auditorium at Bhandarkar’s College, Kundapur.
Children are employed as child labourers due to poverty, illiteracy, financial losses, he said, adding that any establishment which employs children for work can be punished as per the law. “Our country can develop If children are provided a safe environment”, the District Judge said.
Judge Naik also appealed to the businesses to familiarise themselves with the labour laws and other laws related to child labour prevention and urged them not to practise the cruel and illegal activity. At the same time, he appealed to the people to report any instances of child labour to the nearest police station or labour department.
Kundapur Senior Civil Judge D P Kumara Swamy, Senior Judge and District Legal Services Authority Member Lata, Kundapur DySP Dinesh Kumar, District Attorneys’ Association President Ratnakar Shetty, Kundapur Advocates’ Association Secretary Pramod Hande, District Child Welfare Committee President Ronald B Furtado, Bhandarkar’s Graduate College Principal Dr. N P Narayana Shetty among others were present.
