239 children rescued in Punjab: Labour Department

As many as 239 children, engaged as labourers in Punjab, were rescued by the state government in the past one week, an official spokesman said here today.

All the 239 were rescued during the child labour eradication week observed by the state Labour Department, he said. Altogether 199 offenders were challaned in this connection, the spokesman said.

Special teams, constituted by concerned Deputy Commissioners, conducted raids at various centres across the state, he said. During the raids, 239 cases of child labour were detected and 199 challaned for the offence, the spokesman said. The challans would be submitted in respective courts soon, he said.