Hundred child labourers freed in diamond city Surat

In what can be termed shocking, district labour department in Surat freed 100 child labourers on Saturday in a raid on textile markets of the diamond city.

Working on a tip-off, officials began their raid from TT Market on the Ring Road, later covering other markets as well. Officials, much to their surprise, found large number of children under the age of 18 working at offices and shops in these centres.

Children were found packing corrugated boxes, cutting and wrapping sarees and working as labourers for loading and unloading consignments. The labour department took these children under custody and registered cases against shopkeepers who employed them.

“Majority of the children hail from UP, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Investigations revealed that they were brought to Surat after promises of high paying jobs here. Looking at such large numbers (of children), the involvement of an inter-state gang cannot be ruled out,” said a top official from the department.

According to sources in the labour department, child labour is rampant in textile markets because it proves cheaper for employers. While a grown-up labourer charges Rs250 daily, child labourers are available at Rs100 a day.

Labour department has registered a case in the matter and have sent all the rescued children to juvenile homes in the city.