Cops turn blind eye to child labour

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 Cops turn blind eye to child labour

Next time you visit the Park Circus area, after adjusting your olfactory organ to the stench tanneries are associated with, if you take a peek behind the high brick walls of a tannery, chances are that you might catch a glimpse of a group of children. Ranging from six to 16, they are working hard from dawn to dusk making shoes. Take, for example, Mintu Mondal (12), Sonu Khan (8) and Salim Akhtar (9). They work daily in one such tanneries for nine hours a day for a meagre Rs 10 daily wage. Sonu, the youngest, has developed white patches all over his hands. "It itches, but what to do? I'll have to earn money," he said.

The children who are engaged in these tanneries rinse, sink, conserve and dye hides with chemicals, apart from drying, pigmenting and measuring finished hides. Dr Jayanta Das, a city dermatologist, said, "These children are most susceptible to skin diseases like dermatitis, eczema, fungal infection etc because of over-exposure to corrosive chemicals. Bacterial contamination from the raw skin may lead to deadly diseases like anthracosis and tuberculosis. Even research reveal, these children develop a serious psychic problem."

The irony is that the administration and civic authorities are aware of this. Javed Ahmed Khan, Trinamool councillor of Ward 66, said, "We're aware of these illegal tanneries and child labourers. The labour unions, like INTUC and CITU are supporting these activities. So, it's not easy to stop these. Also, it's economic compulsion for these children. We can't provide them with any alternative." Said M.Rahman, a sub-inspector with Karaya thana, "These tanneries will be shifted to Bantala within a couple of months. But we haven't received any written complaint regarding child labour employed here."

Md. Amin, the state's minister of labour said, "So far there has been no such report of child labour in the state. All workers in approved tanneries are above 14 years, not child labourers." However, the inside story is something different. sharmila.maiti@timesgroup.com

Read more: Cops turn blind eye to child labour - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/calcutta-times/Cops-turn-blind-eye-to-child-labour/articleshow/507526.cms#ixzz10IWQYV1O