PUNE: District Collector Naval Kishore Ram on Thursday kicked off an awareness campaign to eradicate child labour. The month-long campaign will spread awareness about the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 and ways to eradicate child labour. 

Speaking at the event held at collector’s office near Pune station, Ram said that all sections of the society will have to come forward to eradicate child labour.

“Children are deprived of education and other benefits if they are forced into child labour. We must understand that they are the future of the country. They need to be rehabilitated rather than pushed into forced labour. Children lose their childhood if they work as labourers. It is often seen that industries like hotels, restaurants, construction sites, scrapyards employ child labour which must be stopped,” added Ram. 

Officials of the district administration said that employers can place a sticker or a board at their establishments that they do not promote child labour. Employers should assure that they are not hiring children below the relevant minimum age, People should inform the labour department if they spot any child labour working at a site, people must support for children’s education, companies can ensure that their work environment is free from child labour.