Nine child labourers in hotels rescued, owners penalized
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 13 2011: At least nine underage children, found engaged in hotels, were rescued in a series of drives conducted by a team of officials of the Labour Department in hotels in greater Imphal area.

The drive commenced from May 5 .

A fine of ' 10,000 each was also imposed to the proprietors of the hotels for violating the Child Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1986 and other related Acts which are in force in the state, officials of the department said.

The team led by chief inspecting officer of the Labour Department rescued two boys from the MS Raj Anand Hotel, Paona Bazar on May 5.They further rescued two more boys from the Jahin Hotel, New Checkon on May 6 .

Five boys, including three children from Manipuri Muslims Hotel, Rupmahal Tank and one each from Lallu Hotel, BT road and New Radha Krishna Hotel, BT road were also rescued in the continue drive on May 10 .

Proprietors of the hotels, Mandalal of Raj Anand Hotel, Ramlal of Jahin Hotel, Md Abdulah of Manipuri Muslims Hotel, Kuber Shah of Lallu Hotel and Rohit Prashad of New Radha Krishna Hotel were penalized under section 14 of Child Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1986, under section 16, 17 and 18 of the Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976, under section 3 and 4 of the Children (Pledging of Labour) Act 1933, under section 25 of Manipur Shops and Establishment Act 1972 and under section 374 of the India Penal Code (IPC), officials said.

Four of the rescued children were sent to two children homes at Dulahland and Tera Bazar through the Child Welfare Committee of the state Social Welfare Department.

The remaining five children were handed over to their respective families and hotel owners were asked to be prepared to face an inquiry into the violation of the Acts.

Officials said that under the Acts applied, authority can further imposed another fine of same amount, ' 10,000, as compensation to the violators of rights of the children which will be deposited to the Child Labour Rehabilitation Fund.

This amount will be deposited to the account which would be opened in the name of the rescued child.

If the offenders of the Acts attempted to avoid payment of the fines, they can be imprisoned, officials said.

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