Gadwal: District Additional Collector Narsingh Rao has issued a strong warning against employing children under 14 years of age. Employers who hire these young children will face criminal charges. This announcement was made during a review meeting of Operation Muskan, which was held by the District Welfare Department at the integrated district office on Monday.
Narsingh Rao explained that Operation Muskan will run from July 1 to 31. The main goal is to find and rescue missing children and reunite them with their families. He emphasized that children under 14 should be in school, not working, highlighting the legal consequences of depriving children of their rights.
The Additional Collector also mentioned that rescued child laborers will be placed in dormitories where they can receive education. The operation will also focus on identifying beggars, garbage collectors, and street children. So far, 14 child laborers have been rescued in the district under this initiative. Various department officials are actively participating to eliminate child labor completely.
Narsingh Rao instructed District Child Protection Officers (DCPOs) to identify and protect children working in hazardous places like brick kilns and construction sites. He stressed the need for public awareness to eradicate child labor and called for collaborative efforts to ensure the success of Operation Muskan.
Key officials attended the meeting, including District Child Welfare Officer Sudharani, District Education Officer Indira, Child Welfare Chairperson Sahadeva, Assistant Labor Officer Venugopal, CDPOs, NGOs, Child Line staff, and other related officials.
