limination of child labour is Children’s Day message

SILCHAR, Nov 14: A day-long Children’s Day coinciding with Jawaharlal Nehru’s birthday was celebrated by the NGO ‘The Greens’ in coordination with the district administration, Labour and Social Welfare Department through various literary, cultural and creative programmes with particular emphasis on the message to eliminate child labour which despite statutory rules to contain it is assuming alarming dimension and has become a social scourge across the country. Children are subject to physical and mental stresses and strains and suffer traumas in their work places. Often, they are sexually abused. Speakers on discussion panel on the burning issue in the concluding session laid stress on awareness among general masses to raise concerted voice against the evil and greater and wider role of NGOs in eliminating the vice. The state was asked to be more proactive in enforcing the legal provisions against their violators.
A colourful rally participated by children drawn from different schools paraded with placards and banners highlighting the need to eliminate the menace of their exploitation and abuses through the roads starting from Gandhi Bagh and converged again there. It was followed by the programme ‘recite as you like’ which included recitation of rhymes and poems and then ‘draw as you like’ asking children to display their latent talent in art competition. It was quite interesting to watch the kids in fancy dress or ‘go as you like’. After all the joy, mirth and jollity as well as deliberations on the dark side of their abuses, prizes and applauds went to a few lucky ones among them. It was an eventful day to remember Chacha Nehru and also to understand the significance of its celebration.
The panel discussion was enlivened and made interesting with the views and opinions of the learned speakers. Deputy Commissioner of Cachar Harendra Kumar Dev Mahanta graced the occasion along with distinguished personalities and inspired the children by his valued address. The efforts of ‘The Greens’ for organizing the observance of the day with a difference came in for appreciation by the large turn out of parents, guardians and citizens in general. (SentinelAssam)