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Margherita: Children continue to work in coal mines

The Child and Adolescent labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act,1986 which was enacted by the Parliament of India and the Ministry of Labour and Employment states no child under the age of 14 can work at any business establishment or workshop. Despite this, the illegal coal trade is rampantly going on in Margherita Sub division and coal thieves hire school dropouts between 11 and 13 years old to work at Tirap, Tikak, Ledo 6 Number line, Paharpur, Baragolai coal mines area where they are paid a small amount of money.

It may be mentioned that North Eastern Coal fields Coal India limited Margherita has kept Private Security and Assam Industrial Security Force but in the name of Security daily 100 crores amount of coal is stolen from the Patkai mountains where coal is found. However, due to the huge amount of commission, the Private Security forces of Coal India limited Margherita  allow said an educated youth of Margherita in condition of anonymity

If the Tinsukia District Labor Commissioner, Tinsukia District Administration and Margherita Administration(Civil) don't take proper action against this then in the coming days, school drop out students will increase at Margherita Sub division, and more illegal coal trade will take place by so called coal thieves of Margherita Sub division. 

I urge the conscious section of Margherita to appeal to Margherita Administration (Civil) and Tinsukia District labour Commissioner to take stringent action against those coal thieves who hire school drop out students to work in illegal mines at Margherita Sub division.

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Mithun Baruah's picture

Mithun Baruah reports from Margherita.

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