In the first registered child bonded labour case in a decade in Uttarakhand, the labour department has been directed to conduct a separate investigation in the case.
The sister and brother-in-law of the 15-year old boy found working in unhygienic condition in a fast food shop at Balliwala Chowk on Tuesday have reached Dehradun.
The State co-ordinator of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, Suresh Uniyal who was part of the rescue team, alleged that the brother-in-law of the minor is the person who brought him from Bihar and left him to work here in Dehradun.
Uniyal said, “The sub-divisional magistrate has issued orders to Child Welfare Committee and Station House Officer of Vasant Vihar police station to investigate the various aspects of the case.
So far what the minor told is that he hails from Bihar and about four months ago he came to work for his brother-in-law’s younger brother at a fast food shop on Balliwala Chowk.
The minor is under a lot of trauma and is requesting to be sent to his sister, who along with her husband reached Dehradun on Wednesday evening.”He added, “The employer in his statement said that he used to pay Rs 4,000 to the minor’s mother in Bihar every month.
The day we found this boy, he was in unhygienic condition. He was living in the shop itself, working for more than 12 hours a day, was underpaid and underfed.
This is a clear case of child bonded labour. His release certificate will probably be issued on Friday.”
Dehradun Labour Enforcement Officer, Pinki Tamta said, “He was basically found working and living in the same space. He was being underpaid and the sum he was earning was being handed over to his mother in Bihar.
An FIR was lodged by Bachpan Bachao Andolan under the sections of child bonded labour.Now the District Magistrate has ordered us to conduct a separate investigation in this matter.
After the verification and confirmation, in case he is indeed a child bonded labour, a release certificate will be issued.”