Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Sopore, October 12: J&K Police conducted a market checking drive against child labour in Sopore, under the jurisdiction of Police Station Panzalla. The drive was carried out in coordination with the Child Welfare Committee and the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) Sopore.
During the exercise, teams checked a range of business establishments to detect whether minors were being engaged as workers. The checks were aimed at violations of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act and the Juvenile Justice Act, the two main laws governing the employment and protection of children.
Owners of the establishments were sensitised to the legal consequences of employing minors. They were strictly warned to refrain from the practice, and the police said the drive was meant to prevent the exploitation of children and ensure strict implementation of child protection laws.
The involvement of the Child Welfare Committee and the AHTU reflects the multi-agency approach such drives call for. The Child Welfare Committee is the statutory body under the Juvenile Justice framework that handles children in need of care and protection, while the AHTU works against trafficking and exploitation. Their presence means that any child found at work can be taken into the protective system rather than simply turned away from a shop floor.
The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act bars the employment of children below 14 years in any occupation and restricts adolescents from hazardous work. The Juvenile Justice Act separately treats the exploitation of a child employee as an offence. Employers who ignore these provisions risk legal action, which is why the police have chosen to pair enforcement with awareness among shopkeepers and traders.
Child labour in small commercial establishments is often hard to spot, as young workers are frequently absorbed into family businesses, workshops and shops, and the practice can be driven by economic hardship. Regular market checks are one of the few tools local police have to find such cases early and to put employers on notice.
The police also appealed to the general public and the business community not to employ anyone below 18 years in any business establishment. Citizens were asked to report any such incident to the nearest Police Station, so that action can be taken and the child can be brought under proper care and protection.
