As many as 28 children, including 18 girls, were rescued from an industrial unit in Kathua district during a joint inspection conducted on Tuesday following complaints of suspected child labour.
The surprise inspection was carried out at an industrial unit located in the SICOP area of Hatli Morh, Kathua. The operation was led by Kathua Tehsildar Vikram Kumar and involved District Child Protection Officer Varun Kumar Choudhary, Assistant Labour Commissioner Muneer Hussain, along with officials from the District Child Protection Unit, Child Helpline, Health Department and Police.
During the inspection, officials found and rescued 28 children from the industrial premises, of whom 18 were girls. The rescued children were immediately taken to a Government Hospital for medical examination.
Following the medical examination, all the children were produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Kathua, for further proceedings under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and applicable labour laws.
The District Administration Kathua said it remains committed to protecting the rights and welfare of children and working towards making the district free from child labour. Officials also stressed that industrial establishments must strictly comply with all laws and regulations prescribed by the government.
The administration further stated that any violation of provisions relating to child labour would be dealt with according to law, while necessary measures would be taken to ensure the protection, rehabilitation and welfare of rescued children.
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