Special Kurnool team rescues 5 child labourers

Kurnool: A multidisciplinary team of government officials organised a special operation on Thursday, leading to rescue of five children from the streets of Kurnool city.

Officials raided places around Rajvihar, Anand cinema theatre, ZP road, RTC new bus station, C camp, and Bangarupeta areas. Children rescued by them include four child labourers from C camp Rythu Bazaar and a girl, who was found begging at Rajvihar circle.

Speaking at a meeting later, District Legal Service Authority (DLSA) secretary and senior civil judge Ch. Venkata Naga Srinivasa Rao instructed officials to file criminal cases under juvenile acts and child rights violation laws against adults who have engaged these children in labour or begging, despite undergoing three counselling sessions.

The DSLA secretary underlined that parents of such children must be educated to send them to school, rather than forcing them into labour or begging. He maintained that it is a collective social responsibility of government and people to rescue orphaned children from begging and other antisocial activities.

Permanent Lok Adalat chairman Harinath, Child Welfare Committee chairperson S. Jubaida Begum, committee members K. Venkata Ramaiah and K. Sudhakar, district child protection officer T. Sarada, Child Helpline – 1098 district coordinator D. Sunkanna, Bachpan Bachao Andolan district coordinator P. Venkata Timma Reddy, senior advocate B. Lakshmi Narayana and National Child Labour project manager S.V. Ranga Reddy were among those who participated in the meeting.