The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) has identified 29 housing complexes and half a dozen commercial establishments across the city and its suburbs that have been declared "child labour-free".
Commission officials said teams from their organisation have been visiting housing societies and establishments to check whether any form of child labour has been engaged.
“As part of the drive, a team of officials from the commission inspected a number of gated communities and shops and malls before submitting a report to the commission. Reviewing that, 29 housing societies and six shops and shopping malls have been found to be child labour-free,” said an official of the child rights protection commission.
The housing societies and the shops and malls were awarded a plaque at a programme named “Celebrating Safe Childhood”, held at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Alipore on Friday evening.
WBCPCR chairperson Sudeshna Roy said all the awardees had to give an undertaking that they would “fight against Child Labour”. They were made to fill forms that carry the pledge to prevent child labour in their respective organisations and housing complexes.
The objective of the activity was to create awareness and sensitise people about the evils of child labour.
According to the Child Labour Act, "children below the age of 14... years" cannot be engaged in specific employment.
Commission officials said they could locate 29 housing societies and six shops and shopping complexes where they found zero engagement of child labour.
“We found just one housing complex where two 12-year-old twins were found to be engaged. They were supporting their van-puller father. We approached them, counselled them and ensured that the boys went to school. We need to create awareness about the rights that these families have and how they can find alternatives, instead of sending their children to work,” said a senior official of the commission.
The commission had been able to reach out to 17 housing societies and shops during their survey last year. This year the reach has increased to 35. “This is not a competition. These establishments had approached us and we went for inspection and awareness,” chairperson Roy said.
Many people think that engaging a child to work would help him or her support the family financially. "But that is not true. We are trying to sensitise people that engaging small children in work would only mean that they are being deprived of studying. Lack of education in girls leads to trafficking, child marriage and consequent health problems. In boys it could lead to trafficking and drug abuse," said a commission official.
The event also marked the release of Hullor Utsav Sankhya, the commission's magazine.