Child labour

Child labour

Children have to be taken care and must be protected frombeing exploited by the society. Children of any age, whether, male or female should be not only protected but also safeguarded and developed to grow in a healthy atmosphere.

Laws pertaining to the prohibition of Child Labour

1.     Children (Pledging of Labour] Act (1933)

2.     Employment of Children Act (1938)

3.     The Bombay Shop and Establishments Act (1948)

4.     Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation Act) 1986

5.     The Indian Factories Act (1948)

6.     Plantations Labour Act (1951)

7.     The Mines Act (1952)

8.     Merchant Shipping Act (1958)

9.     The Apprentice Act (1961)

10.            The Motor Transport Workers Act (1961)

11.            The Atomic Energy Act (1962)

12.            Bidi and Cigar Workers (Condition of Employment) Act (1966)

13.            State Shops and Establishments Act

Some of the Statutory Provisions on Child Labour

The child shall enjoy special protection and shall be given opportunities and facilities, by law and other means, to enable him to develop, physically, mentally, spiritually and socially in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity. In the enactment of laws for this purpose, the best interest of the child shall be the Paramount Consideration

main provisions of child labour act, 1986.

The Act came into force from 23rd December 1986. Its main objectives are to prohibit the employment of children in certain categories of industries and to regulate the conditions of work of children in certain industries. It was amended in 1988.

(1)Scope

The Act is applicable to all establishments such as workshop, farm, residential hotels, restaurants, eating houses, theatre or other places of public amusement where child labour is largely employed. The Act extends to the whole of India.

―Child‖ means a person who had not completed fourteen years of age.

Main Provisions of the Act

(1)Prohibition of employment of children in certain occupations and processes:

(2)No child can be employed, or permitted to work in nay of the occupations set forth in Part A of the Schedule or in any workshop wherein any of the processes set forth in Part B of the schedule is carried on.

(3)Hours and period of work:

^Ø   No child shall be allowed to work in any establishment in excess of such number of hours as many be prescribed for such establishment or class establishment;

^Ø   The daily hours or work shall be so fixed that no child shall be allowed to work for more than three hours without prior interval of an hour:

^Ø   The hours of work shall be so arranged that inclusive of rest interval, time spread and the time spend in waiting for the work shall not exceed six hours a day;

^Ø   No child shall be allowed to work between 7. P.M and 8 P.M

(3)Weekly Holiday

Every child employed in any establishment shall be given one weekly holiday of 24 hours.

(4)Healthy and Safety

(i)The appropriate government by notification in the Official Gazette, can make rules for health and safety of children employed or permitted to work in any establishment or class of establishment.

(ii)Without any prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, the rules for health and safety may provided for all or any of the following matters namely;

^Ø   Cleanliness in the place of work and its freedom from nuisance

^Ø   Disposal of wastes and effluents

^Ø   Ventilation and temperature

^Ø   Dust and fumes

^Ø   Lighting

^Ø   Drinking water

^Ø   Artificial humidification

^Ø   Latrine and urinal

^Ø   Spittoons

^Ø   Fencing of machines

^Ø   Work at or near machinery in motion

^Ø   Employment of children on dangerous machines

^Ø   Instructions training and supervision in relation to employment of children       on dangerou

^Ø   Device for cutting off power

^Ø   Self-acting machines

^Ø   Casing of new machinery

^Ø   Floor, stairs and means of access

^Ø   Pits, sumps, opening in floors etc.

^Ø   Excessive weights

^Ø   Protection eyes

^Ø   Explosive or inflammable dist gas etc

^Ø   Precaution in case of fire; maintenance of buildings; and safety of buildings and machinery.