Child Labor Rescues in Guwahati: A Call for Effective Rehabilitation and Justice
Child Labor Rescues in Guwahati
Guwahati, Dec 16: Over the last five years, more than 2,800 children, primarily from the commercial sector, have been rescued from labor in the state. However, the follow-up actions have been inadequate, with authorities failing to provide proper rehabilitation for these children or to impose effective penalties on the employers.
An RTI inquiry has revealed that from 2020 to 2025, approximately 1,264 cases were filed against employers, yet only six convictions were secured during this timeframe—three in Sivasagar and one each in Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, and Tinsukia.
Notably, no cases were registered against employers in Goalpara, Dhemaji, and Hailakandi, while many other districts reported a significantly low number of cases relative to the rescues, according to the labor department's response.
“Employing a child as labor is a cognizable offense under the Child & Adolescent Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 2016. Legal action against employers is crucial to eradicate this crime from society,” stated an activist.
The situation regarding back-wages is equally concerning. Only a few rescued children in Goalpara, Golaghat, Hailakandi, and Jorhat received their due wages, while in other areas, the numbers were minimal. Laws require the recovery of unpaid wages, including overtime, from exploitative employers.
Funding for immediate compensation from the state government has been insufficient. Some districts received no funds over the past five years, while the total allocation from 2020 to 2024 was merely Rs 5,20,000 across four districts.
This year, some districts received funds, but areas like South Salmara-Mankachar, Baksa, Barpeta, Biswanath, and Bongaigaon have not seen any allocation in the last five years. In nineteen districts, rescued children did not receive immediate compensation during this period.
According to the SOP issued by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, back-wages and compensation should be provided to the child within seventeen days.
The Supreme Court of India, in the MC Mehta vs State of Tamil Nadu case, ruled that to comply with the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, employers must pay Rs 20,000 as compensation for each child employed unlawfully, along with a grant of Rs 5,000 for children in hazardous jobs.
Moreover, the government has made little effort to rehabilitate these children.
The labor department lacks information on whether the families of rescued children are connected to any social security schemes.
Additionally, fewer than 300 children were enrolled in schools during this period. South Salmara led with 82 out of 94 rescued children enrolled, while Dhubri managed to enroll 135 of 191 rescued children. In other districts, the enrollment numbers were alarmingly low, raising concerns about potential re-trafficking.
Activists in the field have pointed out that the government lacks a strategy to address domestic child labor cases.