Shivamogga: The menace of child labour is still continuing in the district. In the past one year, 12 cases of child labour have come to light here and the owners of these establishments have been booked under the law, informed Deputy commissioner M Lokesh on June 1.
Speaking at a meeting called for preparations for World Day Against Child Labour, the DC said that the children working in the district should be found and rehabilitated so that they could be brought into the mainstream society. They should be provided with education, health and other facilities, he added.
As per the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 employing children below the age of 14 years in any occupation and employing children below 18 years of age in any dangerous occupations is punishable. The DC instructed the officials to strictly enforce the provisions of the law.
He also instructed the officials to increase efforts to raise awareness about the ban on child labour.
The World Day Against Child Labour is celebrated on June 12 every year since 2002. It is celebrated every year to raise awareness and activism to prevent child labour all over the world.
On June 12, special awareness programme will be held at the slum areas in the city. An essay competition has been organised for the SSLC students in the district, the DC added.