Children take to streets in Patna against child labour

Patna, Dec 29 (ANI): Hordes of children took to the streets here last evening protesting against child labour and exploitation.

Children from several schools held placards and raised slogans against those who hire children to work in factories, restaurants and hotels.

"Through this rally, we want to bring it to the notice of the people that exploitation of children is extensive in our country. We request them not to exploit children for their benefit or else this could lead to problems," said Sunny, a child protester.

Vikky Kumar, another child protester, added: "We want to give the message to people who employ child labour to stop employing them so that our country should move forward on the road to progress."

Despite the 1986 Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, child labour is still rampant in India due to extreme poverty.

Millions of children in India work in dangerous conditions making firecrackers, textile ancillaries, hand-rolled cigarettes and glass, exposed to hazardous chemicals and open furnaces spewing toxic gases.

Human rights groups say many children have been working since the age of four or five, and by the time they reach adulthood, they may be irrevocably sick or deformed.

International agencies contend that there are far too many loopholes in the law on trafficking in children, making it difficult to root out child labour. (ANI)