Bengaluru child rights activist Nagasimha G. Rao has urged Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to expand action against child labour across city
Bengaluru: Child rights activist Nagasimha G. Rao has urged Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to launch a sustained, city-wide campaign against child labour and work towards making Bengaluru a “Child Labour Free City”.
In a letter, Rao congratulated the Chief Minister for directing authorities to take immediate action after reports emerged of children working at the Yeshwanthpur APMC Market. Following the direction, special teams from the police and Labour Department reportedly conducted an operation and rescued 19 children.
The activist has requested that the action at Yeshwanthpur APMC not remain an isolated operation and instead become the starting point for continuous inspections across Bengaluru and its surrounding areas.
Activist Seeks City-Wide Child Labour Campaign
Rao has called for regular and unannounced inspections at locations where children could potentially be employed illegally.
The proposed inspections include unauthorised hotels, restaurants, garages, workshops, factories, warehouses, markets, construction sites, roadside trading centres and other industrial and commercial establishments across Bengaluru.
The activist has also sought comprehensive data collection on a ward-wise and zone-wise basis to identify children who may be out of school and engaged in work.
Based on the findings, Rao has proposed a “Bengaluru Child Labour Elimination Action Plan” with specific targets, departmental responsibilities, timelines and monitoring mechanisms.
Rescued Children Need Education And Rehabilitation
Rao has stressed that rescuing children from workplaces should not be the end of the intervention.
According to the letter, children rescued from labour should receive support for educational reintegration, health check-ups, psychosocial assistance, family reunification and access to necessary social security measures.
The activist has argued that a comprehensive rehabilitation approach is necessary to ensure rescued children can return to education and regain a safe childhood.
Letter Cites Constitutional Child Rights
Rao cited Article 21A, which provides for the right to education, and Article 24, which prohibits the employment of children in hazardous occupations. The letter also referred to Articles 39(e) and 39(f), which contain directives concerning the protection of children from abuse and exploitation and the conditions necessary for their healthy development.
The letter further cited the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as broader commitments to protecting children from exploitation and ensuring access to education.
Activist Seeks Coordinated Action Across Departments
Rao has proposed coordinated action involving the Police Department, Labour Department, BBMP, Education Department, Women and Child Development Department, child protection authorities and civil society organisations.
The objective, according to the appeal, should be to establish a comprehensive system for identifying child labour, rescuing affected children, preventing their return to exploitative work and ensuring their rehabilitation.
The activist described the rescue of 19 children following the Chief Minister’s visit to Yeshwanthpur APMC as an example of how prompt administrative intervention can affect children's lives.
“Every Child Should Be In School”
Rao has called for Bengaluru to become a model city for child protection, emphasising that children should be in schools rather than workplaces.
The letter concludes with the message that every child should be protected from exploitation and allowed to grow in a safe environment. It also proposes the broader vision of “Child Rights Bangalore” and a child labour-free Bengaluru.
