Hyderabad: Little did 15-year-old Supriya (name changed on request) know that this will be her last day as a domestic worker in Central Court Apartment in Secunderabad.
Supriya, a resident of Ambedkar basti, used to work as a domestic help with her mother and was rescued by the child labour department on Tuesday morning.
The 15-year-old discontinued her schooling after sixth standard to support her ailing mother. She said, “I do not want to go to the school because my mother has a tumour in her brain and doctors has said that she will live only for few years. She often faints. So, I accompany her to work and help her.”
Though the officials said that she will be provided financial aid to support her education, she denied the offer because she wanted to stay with her mother.
Along with Supriya, other two domestic child labourers were rescued by the child and labour department from Secunderabad and West Marredpally residential areas on Tuesday. Rescued girls were sent to the Nimboliadda shelter home for girls.
Cases were booked against three residents of Secunderabad and West Marredpally under Labour Act.
Showcause notices will be issued to the employers. The department will verify the details and the parents will be counselled.
Mohammad Imtiyaz, district child protection officer, said, “After gathering information, we came to know that in many apartments and residential areas in Secunderabad children are employed. We registered 864 child labour cases last year in Hyderabad and we are planning to conduct more rescue operations.”
Srinivas Goud, assistant commissioner, child labour department, said, “According to the new law, any employer who is caught encouraging child labour will have to pay a fine from Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 along with imprisonment up to three years.”
