Seven child workers rescued

Surat: The labour department on Wednesday rescued seven child labourers from three textile markets on the Ring Road.
Official said the the children were rescued from the textile shops where they were employed for organizing and packing sarees in boxes on job work. All the children are from Rajasthan and aged less than 14 years.
The task force led by assistant labour commissioner Ashish Gandhi raided the TT Market, Swadeshi Market and Mahavir Market and found the children packing the sarees and arranging boxes."Due to persistent raids in the textile markets, the contractors and traders have shifted this illegal activity of employing child labour to the residential societies in the surrounding areas. The contractors take the residential houses on rent for running the packaging unit and employing children there," said Gandhi. The seven children have been sent to the observation home at Katargam and would be taken to their native places soon.
Gandhi added, "We have noticed around 25%reduction in the textile markets employing child labourers. "Around six textile shop owners have been booked and they will be prosecuted.