Mysore/Mysuru: Stating that child-labour is detrimental to the country, Additional DC Dr. P. Shivaraju asked officials to strive for eradication of child labour in district by coming up with more awareness programmes.

He was speaking after presiding over District level executive committee and District Task Force of Labour department at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here recently.

Stressing that children should not be deprived of education, Dr. Shivaraju said that officials should carry out periodic raids on units where child labour is engaged. Pointing out that rescued children should be admitted to schools, he said it is also important to ensure that such children continue their studies. He also directed the officials to admit children of poor parents who cannot afford education to their wards, in residential schools of the district.

Reiterating that no children should  be deprived of education, ADC said that officials should ensure that no child gets engaged in begging along the streets and road junctions. He also instructed all concerned departments to carry out surprise raids for checking child beggary.

“The officials must identify child labour spots and hold local meetings for carrying out awareness programmes. Children engaged in child labour should be admitted to schools and officials should hold widespread awareness programmes to end the menace”, he said and instructed the officials to come up with data on all this in the next meeting.

Shivaraju further said that as many as 1483 raids were conducted between April 2025 and March 2026, during which three child labourers and 34 teen labourers were rescued. Subsequently, the authorities imposed a total penalty of Rs.1.62 lakh in 12 such cases, he noted.

Assistant Labour Commissioner Lalitha Bai, District Labour Officer Chetan Kumar, Mysore Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MCCI) President K.B. Lingaraju, District Child Protection Officer Yogesh Kumar and  others were present.