The National Human Rights Commission today asked the Jharkhand government to file a report within four weeks on allegations about employment of child labourers in illegal coal mines in the state.
The National Human Rights Commission today asked the Jharkhand government to file a report within four weeks on allegations about employment of child labourers in illegal coal mines in the state.
The NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report alleging that a large number of children aged below 14 years are working in illegal coal mines in Hazaribagh district.
The report carried on April 5 alleges that the workers in these mines come from Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Assam, the NHRC said.
"The kin of those, who die in accidents in these mines never get any compensation, as deaths are never recorded. There are no facilities for drinking water and health in the area and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme has also not been extended in Hazaribagh district," it said, quoting the media report.
Considering the matter, the commission observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human right of the workers working in the coal mines, including the children employed there.
The Commission has directed the chief secretary of Jharkhand to submit a report within four weeks.
The report should mention how many coal mines - legal or illegal - are functional in Hazaribagh district and its adjoining areas, what steps have been taken by the state government against illegal coal mines, what safeguards have been provided to the workers working in legal or illegal mines and whether there is any scheme of the state government which ensures health safety of the workers, it said.
The rights panel wanted to know whether MNREGA has been extended to Hazaribagh district, and if so, what are the number of beneficiaries.
It also asked what steps have been taken by the state government to prohibit child labour in coal mines. It sought information on "whether there are sufficient schools in Hazaribagh district and adjoining areas for imparting education to children between the ages of 6 and 14 years. If not, what steps are being taken by the state government in this direction under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009."
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