Binika: Seven child labourers were rescued from hotels, garages and roadside dhabas in Binika town of Odisha’s Subarnapur district on Thursday during a joint operation by the district Child Helpline, Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Labour Department, police and an NGO, officials said.
District Project Coordinator Sujit Kumar Mishra said the rescued children were produced before the Subarnapur Child Welfare Committee. Following directions from CWC chairperson Lina Babu and member Brajendra Bisi, the children were placed at Utkal Balashram, he said.
Mishra appealed to the public to report instances of child labour by calling the toll-free Child Helpline number 1098. Employing children in such work is a crime and a social stigma, he said.
Those present during the operation included CWC member Keshab Meher, Binika Additional Labour Officer Chinmay Meher, Deputy Superintendent of Police Goutam Mohapatra, Binika police personnel and NGO workers.
Meanwhile, concerns have been raised over the continued presence of children in workplaces across the Binika area, including roadside dhabas, shops, fish markets, daily markets, hotels and country liquor shops.
Child protection committees are envisaged at the panchayat, block and district levels, with meetings scheduled every three months. However, the implementation of these provisions remains a concern, with children reportedly continuing to work in various establishments in the area.
