Sir — This refers to the editorial, “Towards ideal legislation” (May 15). No Government can claim to have enacted a perfect legislation and there are bound to be dissenting voices. In a country like India, which has one of the largest numbers of child labourers, the task to eradicate this menace is daunting.
The Government has tried its best to strike the right balance. It has factored in the country’s socio-economic situation while amending the law. It has done well to ban children below the age of 14 years from the work place, except in family-run enterprises.
The challenge, however, is to define employment in family-owned businesses. The magnitude of the work being done by the child should have been the determining factor, instead of a broad generalisation.
The Government’s intent to educate all children is evident in the clause that the children will work only after school hours. But managing both tasks may be taxing for the child, and to the detriment of its health. While increasing the penalty for offenders is most welcome, the Government must consider why the conviction rate in these cases is abysmal.