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Madras high court on child labor and malpractices of e pass procurement:
While hearing a petition in the high court of madras, division bench led by Justice N kirubakaran and VM Velumani took serious steps towards the issue of child labor faced during COVID 19 and the malpractices in the e-pass procurement.
In the case of CM Sivababu v. State of Tamil Nadu and others, the petitioner filed habeas corpus to rescue a batch of six adolescents who were found working in the yarn company.
Earlier the child welfare committee had raided one such mill and rescued children. There were more than a hundred workers employed which were between the age of 14 to 18 years. They were employed from various districts especially Tirupur, Tiruvannamalai.
These children were employed during the lockdown period and they were not granted proper e- pass for their inter-district traveling. Further, there were no COVID 19 tests conducted and no precautions were taken which were mandated during this phase.
There were allegations stating that there are brokers who can get people their e pass sanctioned by bribing the authorities, even the bribe range was fixed by them.
“It is not known as to how without proper e-passes, it has been possible to bring the children from one District to another District. It only implies that if money is paid, the authorities would bend and flout the Rules and without e-passes, people are traveling by bribing the authorities" the bench made this statement while reviewing the above-mentioned points.
The court observed this present case as the tip of the iceberg and took note of the larger issue concerning child labor which is increasing in the state of Tamil Nadu.
The court has ordered to the textile company Chenniyappa Yarn Spinners Private Limited, to file an affidavit stating as to how they were able to transport and bring these children without e-pass. Although the company stated that the education of these children was taken care of if they continue to work, the court refused this request.
The court further ordered the police authorities and the child welfare committee to hand over those six children to their parents and further was informed that F.I.R has been filed against the managing director of that particular company.
The matter has been adjourned on August 20.
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