New Delhi: Ten children working in motor garages in East Delhi have been rescued and three of their employers arrested in a joint operation.
A team of police officials, Labour Department officials, District Task Force ACP Gaurav Sharma and activists of Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), led by SDM Jitendra Yadav, raided four motor garages in Mayur Vihar locality and freed 10 children, BBA Chairman, RS Chaurasia said in a statement on Monday.
The children, who are between the age group of eight to 14 years, were brought from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on the pretext of formally training them as professional mechanics.
They were forced to work for over 16 hours and paid a meagre amount of Rs 20 per day, Chaurasia said, adding the children were also suffering from respiratory ailments like asthma and tuberculosis due to working in extreme weather conditions and constant exposure to pollution. Three employees were also arrested and the garages were sealed for engaging children.
BBA had also rescued 23 child labourers, aged between 8 and 15 years, working in the zari (embroidery) industry from North East district of Delhi and Seemapuri.
12 child labourers, aged between 10 and 18 years, were released from a metal factory in Jalandhar in Punjab recently, he said. PTI