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Child Labour

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by Kamalji, Jul 30, 2016.

  1. Kamalji

    Kamalji IL Hall of Fame

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    Child Labour


    A new proposal has come from the government, that says, children under 18 can now be allowed to work, provided it is for the family. Previously it was banned.


    Yes the old law was to protect the Children sold to brick kilns who worked as bonded labours, in harsh conditions. That was cruel, the p arents were heartless, they had a kid too many, so they almost sold the kid for money to these highway roadside dhabas and brick kilns.


    Now there are other parents, who too are poor, whose children go to school, and after school they help in their fathers business. The father could be selling Tea, where father makes and the son takes it to the shops and offices, this the father saves on hiring someone else for a job that his son can do.


    This is what the courts have allowed, if a child is caught working and he can prove that the employer is his father or relative, then all is fine and legal.

    To this Varun Gandhi, the son of Maneka Gandhi, has opposed, and so has the mother it seems.

    In our export trade, when u work with big business firms overseas, their first conditions are, there should be no child labour involved. They make the exporter sign contracts to that effect. And the minimum wages are to be paid to the workers, for example if the MW is 8000 , and even if the worker is ready to work for 5000, u must pay 8000. And there has to be a English toilet for them, toilet paper, pantry where they can heat their food, a fire exit etc etc.


    They impose their country laws here, if we are to work with them, and so many do so. Fine the fellow adhers to these conditions.Now t ea is ordered from the tea stall owner down the office, and if his underage son brings the tea, and if the buyers representatives are present , yr orders aer cancelled, huge penalties imposed.The fault is not yours, u ordered the tea, but u suffer the consequences.


    How can the exporter control things that are not in their hands, We have contractors for embroidery , who take the garments home, and distribute to the ladies in the locality and give them the raw material . Now the MIL, dIL, or the granddaughter whoever is free works on the piece. So child labour is involved, even if it is done in the home with the approval of the parents and grandparents.


    My stand on this is, a working child is better than a begging child. If the child is helping the parents at the teastall or in the garment shop, or provision shop, or doing embroidery at home, what is wrong in that. Or a maid and her underage daughter work in homes, one does the Dusting the other the clothes, cooking etc.


    And in the export factories , these implementations increase the cost of the establishment, do the exporters get the rates that they want ? No, not at all. The foreigners want cheap, but make u pay higher costs, which are not practical in any way.


    And child labour is not practical or feasible in our garment industry at least, for the kids are feeble and don’t have strength to lift the heavy cloth bales, export cartoons which weight 20 kgs and above.So we need men in their twenties and thirties who are able and strong. But what happens when we give out our garments on contract outside, is not in our hands.


    So now that the courts have allowed children to work with consent of elders, let us see if the foreign companies will accept the courts verdict. I doubt it.


    KAMAL MAHTANI


    My psychologist told me I had split-personality disorder... and charged me 1000 bucks.


    I paid her 500 and told her... to get the rest from the other guy.......


    Overnight all Gurgaon properties prices increase by 20 percent.


    All properties now have lake view...
     
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  2. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    A complicated issue, Kamalji. Yes, in an ideal world all kids should go to school, be educated and get good jobs. However, there are kids who are sent to school by enthusiastic parents and these kids abscond from school or run away in their teens. What are the parents to do? Now such kids who are least interested in studies end up neither studying nor gaining skills which will help them in earning a living.

    Basically there cannot be a blanket rule for everyone. Kids can be kept out of jobs if they are allowed to study OR take up practical training in approved professional schools/institutions as apprecentices until the age of 18.
     
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  3. sindmani

    sindmani Platinum IL'ite

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    Ur views are right. But I feel we forgot to talk about child labour who wants to study but is pushed to work due to poverty. Some children go for work to help their parents but the working environment is really abusive, like shouting, not giving proper food etc .so there are lots of issues
     
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  4. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Kamalji,

    There has to be a balance in the government regulations as well. If parents sent children to earn money when one of them get drunk, it is a social evil. However, if they care to educate the child and make them work on the side to learn the importance of earning and responsibility to look after the family, then, it is a different story. In most countries, children are allowed to earn after the age of 15 or 16. That is when they are able to make informed decision and differentiate whether they are ill-treated, under paid, etc. In Western countries, the children earn money after 15 or 16 to save money for the college. Still, they end up having a huge student loan as education is very expensive.

    Honestly, every child should be given a fair chance to educate themselves. Even well educated people in India should at least ensure a handful of underprivileged children are lifted up with education. But when these children show no interest in education, at least, they need to be trained in their area of interest so that they could make a living instead of struggling throughout life creating another generation of children that need to struggle to educate themselves.

    Viswa
     
  5. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    There is compulsory pass upto 8th standard.There are many children who are not at all interested instudie, know nothing but have a cert of 8th pass.
    As others suggested,if children show no interest in studies, they should be trained in a field which interests them.
    Jayasala 42
     
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  6. GoogleGlass

    GoogleGlass IL Hall of Fame

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    good one kamalji.

    the whole issue is in regulating the abuse of this relaxation. stiff competition and unethical business practices would lead to several other problems. let us see how it shapes up.
     
  7. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Kamalji,

    I think what is important here is 'when' ie., are they attending school during the day time and helping out later. In the US I think it is legal to work and earn money once you are some 14 or 15 but not at the cost of education. So keeping the law flexible but tightening some law for mandatory education (even if from a Govt. school) is the key.

    Nice post, does make one think of the social issues.
     
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  8. kelly1966

    kelly1966 Platinum IL'ite

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    Kji
    Basically this law like every other law in our country will be misused and this is what the activist are opposing. what you say makes complete sense that children helping out their parents to bring more income at home is perfectly alright.. but this should NEVER be done while compromising on education. what happens is that very often( especially in the lower strata of society) the child is forced into labour only to be abused and get extra income for the father and in some cases the mother also alcohol. also this will to some extent legalise child trafficking and prostitution. unfortunately we don't live in a utopian society and children need to be protected and educated to move towards betterment of our world.
    About the export business is the laws are tough in all countries where child labour is concerned but they are a developed nations which can afford to have them. our question should only be concerned with protecting the rights of our children.
     
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  9. Kamalji

    Kamalji IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Satchi,
    Yes a complicated one.
    First , the ones that make the kids work, are the majority of the population, that is the poor class, who produce like rabbits, for them, the more the kids, themore the earning members. They want the kids to earn money for them, byy begging or other means, the parents dont want to spend money on their education. that is the loss.

    The next class, the decent working class, like the chaiwalas, or the kirana shopkeepers, they send kids to school and after school, they take their boys to their business.

    The foreigners have double standards, they allow kids to work, but indian kids shopuld not work eh ! That is what irritates me.
    A working child is any day better than a begging one.
    Regards
    kamal
     
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  10. Kamalji

    Kamalji IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Sindmani,
    Well why did the parents produce the kid, if they did not have money to eduate them, is the question few are asking.if a couple hasa right to kids, then why not limit to two . if the kids are working with their parents in theuir tea shop or whatever, they will not be abused.that is acceptable. But the foreigners dont want that also.

    Regards
    kamal
     
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