Dear  Friends                  
  A Child leadership Training Camp was organized by Kissan Vikas Trust on 29th Sep,05 at Khagaria in which 114 children(boys & girls aged between 8-16yrs) participated and shared and vented out their plights and grief and out of the deliberations , a representation was handed over to  Mr.Satya Nararyan Madan ,Hon’ Vice-president Child Labour Commission Govt. of Bihar Patna.

Yours sincearly 

 Prabhat Kumar

 

 To,
 The Vice-President ,
 Child Labour Commission,
 Govt. of Bihar,
 Patna.    

   
Sub: Regarding liberation of children from child labour and other problems.
 
     Sir,
            We welcome you to the Child Leadership Training Camp. We children reside in villages. Our parents are poor. They earn by way of labour . The district of Khagaria is quite often affected by flood . Several blocks were flooded even this year.

    We learn that our country has the highest no. of child labourers. Only at the age of five children start working.

   Child labour is to be found in different hotels of Khagaria. They are found at the tea-stalls and in the bungalows of officers. We children are made to work from down to dusk. We are not allowed to sleep . Getting tired of work, when we are sloe at work , we are beaten up. You could find them in Motor Garages , Brick Factories, making cows and goats gaze. Carrying bricks and sand and also pulling rickshaws.

   You could also find children polishing and mending shoes as rag-pickers . They could be found collecting polythenes and plastics.

    On occasions of marriage or other functions childen could be seen eating the residual stuffs that are thrown away. This in include such children who have lost their near and dear ones, on account of devastations caused by flood and fire and are rendered orphans. Such children during their stay at Railway platforms pick up the habit of smoking and drinking alcohol . Some become addicts. You could find such children at Khagaria railway station and bus stand . If the orphan is a girl , she is sexually exploited by the truck drivers and others in the areas adjoining the National Highway.

   Last year the children of Primary schools appeared in the exams without books. This year too ,only two books are available .The government is unable to provide free of cost books.

              Although lunch is being provided in schools,there  are no books to read. The Annual exams would be held in December and we would be passed but would not acquire any knowledge.

 

            We reside at high places during floods. Schools are closed for complete three months. School buildings are damaged. Our condition during the crisis becomes acute and pathetic. Our studies are stopped. Infants scream for milk. In dearth of Cooking facilities , cereals soaked in water is fed to children . Scarcity of pure drinking water causes diarrhea . Diarrhea even leads to death of several children .

  A large no. of handicapped children are also their in Khagaria . Their condition is worst. There is no arrangement for their studies. They face immense difficulty in moving. We should take some initiatives for providing relief to such children .

              We are grief-stricken and dejected but have to bear everything. Our parents don’t get work. We are make both ends meet for our survival and so we are forced to work. Although we love to play and live with our family, but unable to afford.

  Could there be a way out, where girl children are stopped from being sexually exploited?

Could you pass on the message to the Bihar govt. so that children are provided books free of cost in the primary and middle schools?

Could the govt. keep in view the interest of children while framing relief-policies.
 We have been told during the Leadership Training the Child Labour is an offence and is prohibited by law, but it still exists. Who is to be blamed? Children….? Our parents….?officers……? Society…..? 
 
 Our Demands

1. Steps should be taken to put an end to the child labour prevalent in Khagaria .After liberating them their fooding and education must be guaranteed.
2. Minor girls being sexually exploited in areas adjoining National Highway should be stopped and their rehabilitation be initated forthwith.
3. Physically assault of children in school be stopped .
4. All books be made available in schools.
5. Child migration out of Khagaria for domestic works  of elite class be stopped .
6. Children residing at Railway Station, bus stand and orphan children be rehabilitated.
7. Children engaged in shoe making , bag stitching and tyre-tube repair be trained and arrangements of their education be made. As a grow adult they be given to choose their livelihood.
8. Institutions may be opened for the education and employment of handicapped .
9. Elders be provided employment opportunities so that children may not be forced to child labour on account of financial crisis.

 We children too want to contribute to the development of our country and society. We intend to become worth something. But this can only happen when we too are given the opportunities.

 s/d -Representatives of the Bal-Panchayat ,Khagaria Bihar   

 

Dated: 29/9/2005