Our Correspondent
Kohima | May 26
The Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) has expressed concern on the employment of very young children in brick kilns, as domestic help, in tea shops and dhabas, in carpet weaving and many other industries.
In a pamphlet issued by the NSLSA as part of its legal literacy and awareness initiative, it reminded that the Constitution prohibits children especially children below the age of 14 years from being engaged as child labour. Article 21A guarantees right of free education to children up to the age of 14.
To stop this menace, the NSLSA stated that, the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 was enacted to regulate the working conditions of children in employments.
It added that Section 3 of the Act prohibits employment of children in certain occupation and processes and this includes transport of passengers, goods or mails by railway, automobile, workshops and garages, bidi-making, cement manufactures etc as stated in part A and Part B of the Schedules of the Act.
“This prohibition is not applicable when the children are working in workshops where any process is carried on by the occupier with the help of his family or to any school established by the government,” the NSLSA stated.
It said that no child shall be required or permitted to work for more than 3 hours at a stretch and there shall be an interval for rest for at least one hour. Every child shall also be allowed one day as holiday in a week.
Further, it stated that anyone who employs a child in violation of Section 3 of the Act shall be punishable with imprisonment up to one year or with fine up to Rs. 20,000 or both.
