Children in the age group of 9-12 years barely managing a smile while they carry heavy, ornamental electric lamps on their heads seem to common sight at every wedding procession in the city. The fancy lights are believed to give a royal look and feel to the procession. They light up the dimly lit stretches and also noticed from quite a distance as they form an integral part of the wedding processions but at the heavy cost of a child’s safety. Workers, who carry these lamps on their heads, including women and children even below the age of 14, risk their lives to earn out a living and lost innocence.
Children below the prescribed age limit have been spotted in the marriage ceremonies carrying these ornamental heavy electric lamps or washing utensils after the dinner party is over seems to be unnoticed by the well-educated class who attends these functions with much pomp and show. “We have attended almost seven weddings in the past couple of months and have three more to attend in the next couple of days. In every wedding ceremony, we noticed such minors working under such risky condition. Recently, two 15-year-old boys were injured due to electrocution in New Delhi and this should be an instance grave enough to make us take good note of the situation and immediately prohibit this,” said Aarti Singh, 30-year-old local from Bariatu.
The art of carrying these high-voltage electric lamps on one’s head, which is quite strenuous in nature, does not come for a heavy price at the weddings. “A procession of these people carrying lights along with the band musicians can cost up to Rs 17-25,000 in the city and the cost would increase if the procession has to venture out of the city limits,” said Irfan Khan, Owner, The Chawla Band, near Ranchi lake.
Meanwhile, children below the age of 14 involved in this risky affair attribute their acute poverty to be the sole reason for being associated in the same. One of such children, on the condition of anonymity, said, “We are usually referred to as the ‘late night baraats’ or ‘road lights’ and generally get paid in a range of Rs 200-500 for our service. I am the only earning member in my family of five sisters and mother and often sell flowers and toys in the other days and work here during the wedding seasons. I have been working in such late night hours for money for about two years now and I have no option. I know I might die due to electrocution but if I do not risk my life, my family might have to remain without food and medicines,” said the 13-year-old young boy, a migrant from Jharkhand’s Daltonganj district.
According to The Child labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, children below the prescribed age limit of 14 have been prohibited from labour of any type that deprives them of their childhood and interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful. However, the concerned authority seems to be quite unaware of the problem but assures of quick action. “Such type of activities if it is happening at all in the city is illegal, which has been prohibited under The Child labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. We have not received any such complaints from the city till now. But, if people are engaging minors in carrying such dangerous lamps in marriage processions, then we need to take immediate action,” said Praveen Toppo, labour Commissioner, Jharkhand.
Toppo further reiterated the punishment that is meted out to the employers of minors in such cases. “The employers caught would have to pay a hefty fine of Rs 20,000 to the district administration. Then, the district administration tries to provide employment opportunity for the parents of the minors under Mahatma Gandhi national Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). In case, there is no scope for the same, then the district administration office adds up Rs 5,000 to the fine collected and hands over the total sum of Rs 25,000 to the District Commissioner to be utilized for the benefit of minors under Child Welfare Fund,” said Toppo.