New Delhi: Seventeen child labourers, including two girls, were Tuesday rescued from plastic and blanket cover manufacturing units in north-west Delhi, an NGO said.
Raids led by Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Narela) Ajay Arora were conducted in the units located in Bawana industrial area on a tip-off provided by NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan.
The rescued children, aged between 8 to 15 years, belong to villages of Uttar Pradesh, the BBA said in a statement.
"All children belong to poor families and brought to Delhi by their relatives for forced labour. These children worked in deplorable conditions inside the factory where there were loads of raw plastic scrap all over the place, with no freedom of movement or leaving employment.
"The children are suspected to have developed medical ailments like breathing problems due to working in poor hygiene conditions. They were working since 5-6 months and for as many as 15 hours a day without getting any wages," the statement claimed.
A ten-year-old girl, who was rescued, said she was in Class IV when she was brought for job and that she wanted to continue her education.
"I have 5-6 siblings and there was no source of earning thats why I was brought here by a relative who gave me away to this employer," the girl said.
PTI
