Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) rescued 58 children working in a liquor distillation plant ‘Som Distillery’ in Raisen district on Saturday. Acting on information provided by Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) , a team led by NCPCR chairman Priyank Kanoongo rescued 19 girls and 39 boys from the plant. The children have been shifted to safety. The children with severely burnt and wounded hands due to exposure to harsh chemicals and alcohol were transported daily by their employer in a school bus, where they worked for 12-14 hours every day.
Legal action has also been initiated against the excise officer, whose office was in the premises of the distillery. According to the government norms, it is mandatory for an excise officer to be present in the premises of the distillery to supervise the working and operations of the unit. “The stench of alcohol and chemicals was unbearable for us adults. It is unimaginable how the children were working in these conditions for such long hours every day,” director of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, Manish Sharma, who was also part of the team, said.
36 kids rescued from 3 factories
On June 14, the NCPCR, on the complaint of BBA, rescued 36 children, including 25 girls, from three factories in Mandideep in Raisen district. They included LM Bakers (works Parle-G) , GK Sangh Electronics and Arna Agro Food limited, Satlapur Industrial area Mandideep, Raisen. June has been declared ‘Action Month Against Child Labour’ by the NCPCR and BBA has been collaborating with the Commission in rescuing children from labour and trafficking across the country.
