Shouting out the names of locations where the Tata 407 mini bus treads with a hoarse voice that doesn’t match his tender age, Sumair (name changed) 14, a kid who works as a conductor on a local bus here is one of the many cases of child labour in Srinagar.

The irony is that the bus he works on every day passes the Labour and Employment department at Batamaloo which overlooks the menace of child labour in the region.

Sumair due to his strong hold on mathematics had aimed to be an engineer but destiny had stored something else for him. He unwillingly had to take the tough job of a conductor after his father passed due to the long term illness.

Months after the death of his father who was the sole bread winner of a family which comprised of 5 members, Sumair had to leave his studies half way to shoulder the responsibilities of his family. By now Sumair is associated with this profession from last 4 years. His innocence is lost to the vigorous work he does every day by travelling through the dusty roads of Srinagar city. “I never thought that life will take such a horrible turn. My dreams were levelled to the ground and I had no other option than to take this dirty job as my profession,” he says.

In his tender age, Sumair has received multiple injuries after falling from a running minibus while he was collecting the fair from passengers. “I told you I was never made for this job. I fell down three times and had to take rest for days together which again affected my family,” he said.

While leaving and entering home during wee hours amid both hot summers and harsh winters has become routine for him, the cycle of hope continues for little Sumair that someday his problems will end and he once again will resume his studies.

Child Labour Act 1986 which bans employment of child below the age of 14 years old seems to have lost relevance in Kashmir as scores of children can be seen working in many establishments in filthy and hazardous conditions.

While for Sumair, the financial problems at home are the driving force to work in his early age similarly scores of children are school dropouts and start earning due to various constraints. Today the child labour in Kashmir is widespread mostly in the automobile sector, handicraft sector, hotels and restaurants and domestic labor.

A huge number of the children can be seen working as waiters, domestic servants, at petrol pump, car parking areas, and selling flowers or dusters on the roadside.

The trend is said to be mostly prevalent in the handicraft sector where the children irrespective of their age are being involved to learn the art.

According to a report on ‘child Labour in J&K’:Social, economic and ethical dimension’ there are 2.5 lakh child labourers in Kashmir, majority of whom work in handicraft sector, automobile workshops, brick kilns, agriculture and domestic servants.

While the menace continues unabated, the Labour and Employment department ironically during the last year has not prosecuted a single establishment for employing a child to work in unhygienic conditions. As per the data, the Labour and Employment department during 2015 has made 1080 inspections but has found not a single case of child labour in the region.

In Srinagar district the department has conducted 234 inspections till July 2015 but has not prosecuted a single establishment under Child Labour Act 1986.

In Baramulla district 100 inspection has been conducted by the department with no case of child labour reported in the district. In north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, no inspections has been made by the Lobour and Employment department. Similarly in Bandipora, the department has made 19 inspection till July but has not reported any case of child labour.

In Anantnag167 inspections has been made with no recovery of any children working in filthy conditions.In Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama district 5, 28 and 37 inspection has been made with no incidents of child labour reported.

In Ganderbal and Budgam, 45 and 103 inspection were made till July 2015 and not a single establishment was prosecuted for indulging in child labour. Similarly in 2014, the department has made no prosecution under child labour act throughout its inspection in Kashmir. Further contrary to the claims made by various Non-Government Organisations that the child labour in the state was increasing, the department has booked less number of establishment for encouraging child labour.

In the financial year 2014-15, 150 establishments were prosecuted after being found employing a children below the age of 14 years to work.

In the year 2013-14, 2012-13, 2011-12, 138, 124 and 111 establishments were booked under child labour act 1986 in the state. The Central government has also launched National Child Labour Project earlier in 1996 but the stipend provided for the rehabilitation of recovered children is negligible.

Under this scheme the Labour Department was providing a monthly stipend of Rs.150 to the children besides giving them basic education and vocational training.

There are almost six Child Labour special schools in Srinagar in areas like Foreshore road, Kursoo Rajbagh and Habak where scores of children are studying who were earlier recovered from different workplaces. The officials at the Labour and Employment department blame the lack of the rehabilitation centers for the children as main reason behind the tardy implementation of Child Labour Act in the State.

“Even if we book any person under Child Labour Act but the question arises who will take care of family of the child?As these children belong to the poor families the stipend of Rs. 150 under National Child LabourProject (NCLP) is not enough for them to run their family. There is no rehabilitation part in the act. Further even if we book a person he arranges a medical certificate of a child showing him above 14 years,” said an official pleading anonymity.

Meanwhile experts claim that the labour in tender ages create an adverse negative impact on the psychology of the children. They said in most of the cases the child labour is followed by the child abuse. “Not just labour but they take it very emotionally. They expect protection from their parents which doesn’t happen in these cases. With the result they develop a bitterness towards the society and a kind of mistrust develops in them,” said Mansoor Ahmad a psychiatrist.

He said that it leads to the personality disorder among the children subjected to various kinds of works. “They become miniature adults as the work they do in teen age is to be done when they become adults. They fall prey to different kind of eccentric disorders as we usually see in them,” he added.

Kashmir Magazine/Kashmir Today