World Day against Child Labour was observed on Tuesday afternoon in the campus of Kasturi Sishu Griha, a registered Child Care Institute (CCI) situated at Gaonburhapara, Mangaldai under the aegis of the Darrang district administration and the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) under State Social Welfare Department.
As part of the observation, a public awareness meeting was held in presence of several speakers including Kalpana Deka, Additional Deputy Commissioner in charge of the Social Welfare Department , Satyajit Nath , Additional Superintendent of Police (HQ), Dr Nirmal Ch Beriya , Sub-Divisional Medical & Health Officer (Public Health), Darrang , journalist and child activist Mayukh Goswami , Kangkan Saikia , local resident and teacher Nila Sarma spoke on the occasion.
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The speakers underlined the different legal punishment provisions of the Child Labour Prohibition Act and role of different stake holders like the authority of District Child Protection Unit, Child Welfare Committee, civil and police administrations, Labour Welfare Department, Para Legal Volunteers (PLV), NGOs, etc. besides the society as a whole in dealing matters relating to the control of child labour and rescue of its victims.
They pointed out poverty and lack of education among parents as the two major factors encouraging child labours and discussed how the child labourers are vulnerable to any kind of incidents of violence against children and also prone to becoming juvenile criminals.
The meeting presided over by retired teacher Arabinda Hazarika began with the welcome address by Rasmi Rekha Sarma, director, Kasturi Sishu Griha while Pallabi Sarma, child protection officer outlined the objectives of celebrating the day.
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Prior to the beginning of the meeting, children of CCI presented the song “O’ tul tul , O’ bul bul , O’ Seuti tora , Luka Bhaku val nalage khel koina dora….”.
Representatives of the local Labour Department, local NGOs like Crystal Vision, MAMTA , Bhebarghat Mahila Mancha also took part in the meeting along with few local residents.
A public oath-taking ceremony against child labour was also conducted on the occasion under the leadership of Additional Deputy Commissioner Kalpana Deka before it ended with the Asom Sangeet “O’ Mor Aponar Desh…”.