New Delhi, March 27 The Delhi High Court was on Monday informed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has, since January, rescued more than 200 youngsters working as child labourers in the national capital and that raid operations are continuing.
Before a division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Datta, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) brought up the issue of children working in factories situated in extremely small units packed with hazardous materials.
The plea was filed after the tragedy of December 8, 2019, when a huge fire ravaged a building in the city's Anaj Mandi in Sadar Bazar, killing 43 people, including 12 children between the ages of 12 and 18.
Representing BBA, Advocate Prabhsahay Kaur informed the court that more than 200 children have been rescued by the government since the order was passed on January 11 calling for the formation of committees in each district.
She added that the majority of the 183 complaints the NGO filed have been addressed by the authorities. She, however, contended that 55 complaints have gone unanswered.
On the other hand, Delhi government's counsel Satyakam informed the court that pursuant to the last order, a status report has been filed in the matter.
He submitted that the process of raid is continuing and sought four weeks time to file a further status report.
The bench then allowed the request and listed the matter for the next hearing on May 4.
The bench had said in January that any child found working in these units should be rescued and that the court's September 20, 2019, directions must be followed.
In order to address the issue of child labour, the Delhi government was given a number of directives by a coordinate bench in 2019.
The court had said that children who should have been in school were being forced to work in unsanitary and accident-prone environments.
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