High School students take out awareness rally

Mysuru: District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Member Secretary K.K. Amarnath said that people themselves should take the lead for ending the scourge of child labour.

He was speaking after inaugurating the ‘World Day Against Child Labour’ organised under the joint aegis of District Administration, DLSA, Zilla Panchayat, Women and Child Development Department, Department of School Education and Literacy, Labour Department, District Child Labour Eradication Project Society and various other voluntary organisations, at Maharaja’s Government PU College on JLB Road here yesterday.

Pointing out that child labour will destroy childhood and life of children, Judge Amarnath observed that children are facing many physical, educational and mental problems because of the scourge of child labour.

“All children have one talent or the other and no one has the right to curb it. As such it is essential to change the mindset of all those who employ child labour. The younger generation should understand the current situation and vow to build a better society,”  he noted.

DLSA Advocate N. Sundar Raj said that according to some reports, poverty and low wages are the two primary reasons for employment of child labour.

Pointing out that Indian Child Rights Activist Kailash Satyarthi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for his advocacy against child labour through his nationwide ‘Bachpan Bachao’ movement, he expressed concern over rising POCSO cases and atrocities against children in the country.

On the occasion, a cheque for Rs.35,000 was given to a boy who was rescued from child labour for continuation of his studies and the winners of various contests (Speech, Painting and Essay) organised as part of ‘World Day Against Child Labour’ were distributed prizes.

Awareness rally

Earlier, an awareness rally was taken out by high school students from the City Bus Stand. The rally, which was flagged off by Principal District and Sessions Court Judge Usharani, passed through D. Devaraj Urs Road before reaching Maharaja’s PU College on JLB road.

Assistant Labour Commissioner S.R. Veena, Mysuru Sub-Division Labour Officer Chetan Kumar, Maharaja’s PU College Principal Prof. Udayshankar, Vice-Principal Mahesh, ESI Hospital Medical Officer Dr. Shashikala, Child Welfare Committee President Ravichandra, District Child Labour Eradication Project Society Officer H.P. Mallikarjun, Madilu Shikshana Mattu Arogya Samsthe’s Srinivas, Don Bosco Children Home’s Jim Jose and others were present.