
Childhood lost: Child workers in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati
The civic body will collaborate with the labour and ESI department to eliminate child labour in the city in line with the state government’s guidelines.
The plan was made after the government had furnished action points for each department. The housing and urban development department subsequently asked all urban local bodies in the state to take action accordingly.
The department has also issued special measures for the municipal corporations of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
The civic bodies, while issuing trade licences, will take into account that no business establishment engages children as part of their labour force.
Besides, the labour department will organise sensitisation and awareness campaigns against the employment of children for mayors, councillors, municipal commissioners and field functionaries to help them understand the importance of the initiative.
“We have issued orders with action points to municipalities and municipal corporations to undertake various programmes for elimination of child labour,” said a housing and urban development official.
Local authorities of the twin cities will also enhance the standard of living, health and nutrition of children in slums and ensure regular health check-ups, medical care, quality education, recreation, vocational training and quality of community life.
They will also ensure that schools provided free and compulsory education to all the rescued working children irrespective of their age.
Bhubaneswar mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said first they would have to check how many such children were engaged in work.
“We are already conducting various programmes to uplift the lifestyle of slum-dwellers. We are committed to eliminate child labour from the city,” he said.