File Photo: Noble Laureate Kailash Satyarthi (Reuters Photo)
Noble Laureate Kailash Satyarthi today urged the Central Government not to tinker with or prune
the Hazardous Activities and Industries List.
"Tinkering with or pruning the Hazardous Activities and Industries List (HAIL) as already enunciated in Child Labour Act 1986 would defeat the purpose of its Amendment," Mr Satyarthi said.
The list, he said, shouldn't be touched as it clearly stipulates the hazardous occupation and processes which have been arrived at with deliberation and medical research, the Noble Laureate said while addressing members of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry under the aegis of its Family Welfare Foundation in New Delhi.
He also lauded the provision of imposing a penalty of Rs 50,000 for engaging children below 14 years of age in any venture under the Child Labour Amendment Bill.
Mr Satyarthi pointed out that children throughout the world learn and help their parents that does not hamper their education, freedom, health or lead to their exploitation and it is not an employer-employee relationship.
He sought the support of industry, government and civil societies to liberally invest in children's education to enable India achieve the growth trajectory it intends to scale up.
Mr Satyarthi was also of the view that in the proposed Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill the definition of child labour and family ought to be defined with clarity to remove the existing ambiguities in the proposed amendment.
According to him, in the last 20 years, the number of out of school children in primary schools world over has fallen to 58 million as against 130 million.
Similarly the number of child labourers have also been reduced from almost 250 million to 168 million.
"Child labour, poverty and illiteracy create and perpetuate a vicious circle. No country can get rid of poverty and illiteracy without eradication of child labour," Mr Satyarthi said.
The President, PHD Chamber Alok B Shriram presided over the meeting in which the Nobel Laureate was invited to.