Jaipur, May 24 (IANS) At least seven child labourers, all aged below 14 years, were rescued from a government-run milk production plant here Thursday, police said adding that plant authorities made several others to escape.
Police and some representatives of an NGO raided the Bajaj Nagar-situated plant of Jaipur Dairy which produces milk brand, 'Saras', that is widely consumed in Jaipur as well as across Rajasthan. The plant also produces milk products like paneer (cottage cheese), curd, butter milk and milk powder.
"We had got a tip-off from a NGO that a private contractor had engaged child labourers to work here. These labourers were working under inhuman conditions here," Govind Beniwal, a member of Rajasthan State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, told reporters here.
He said that a team of police and NGO representatives found children aged below 14 years in the plant.
"The children were made to work for almost 12 hours each day in the packaging plant of the dairy," a police officer said.
During investigation it came up that several children were made to escape from the plant minutes before the raid, the officer said, adding that these children were employed at the plant through a private contractor.
"Seven children were rescued from the plant. We are trying to identify those officials who were directly involved in giving work to these children. Cases will be registered against these officials and the contractor," said the officer.
