HYDERABAD, July 29: The workforce in carpet industry which generated $200 million through exports in 2005 comprise most vulnerable, marginalised and dispersed population which also included children, says a recent study conducted by Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) on Bonded Child Labour in the carpet industry of Thar. At least 40 per cent of the workforce in carpet weaving are children, the report said.

The study, which was released here on Tuesday at a press conference at the local press club, links the increase in child labour to in formalisation of work. “Child labour is a result of expanding low paid, unprotected, home-based work that does not generate decent income and compels adults to supplement the household income through child labour”, the report added.

The report, which was released by Mr Zulfiqar Shah of PILER, Mr Abid Channa of Thardeep Rural Development Programme (TRDP) and Mr Iqbal Detho of National Coalition against Bonded Labour (NCABL) gives an overview of child and bonded child labour in Pakistan and then looks into the TRDP intervention in carpet weaving industry in Tharparkar.

It defines children under bondage as children working against debt taken by their family members without their consent and under conditions that restrain their freedom, increase their vulnerability to physical and other forms of abuse and deprive them of their basic rights.

“It is unfortunate that child and bonded child labour is continuing despite the fact that it is prohibited by law of land,” reads the report. “Continuation of child and bonded child labour is also violation of United National Conventions of the Rights of Child (CRC) and many other ILO conventions”.

The report says that despite gloomy picture and lack of an effective initiative on the part of the government, there is some work going on at grassroots level where many civil society organisations have introduced good practices.

While analysing the effectiveness of TRDP intervention for the release and rehabilitation of bonded child labour in the carpet industry, the report finds that TRDP has successfully phased out 3,441 children by June 2006 from full time carpet weaving. These children have been enrolled in schools. “The key of TRDP success is rights-based approach community consciousness, livelihood and education”.

Children in carpet weaving in Thar were heavily indebted and parents could not think of taking them out as they were unable to pay back the amount of loan. This way children worked as bonded labourers and were denied schooling, play and other normal activities. Additionally, occupational hazards of sitting for long hours on the loom impacted adversely on children’s physical health and emotional well-being, the report said.

It said that TRDP helped the majority of these children by providing interest free loan to pay-off loans of money lenders and contractor and in addition, micro credit on soft terms and conditions and market support has helped the families to build meagre resources of livelihood.

The report recommends provision of health facilities health and safety education and formation of multi-stakeholder forum to sustain the benefits of the intervention.

The authors of the report, Mr Shah, Mr Channa and Mr Detho urged the government to pay attention to the state of children in the country and take steps particularly to end bonded labour. “Children are future of any nation and they can not be wasted as bonded child labourers,” they added.

SECRETARY FOOD: Secretary Food, government of Sindh, Mr Aijaz Ali Khan, along with director food, Ashfaq Hussain Mousvi, here on Tuesday paid a surprise visit to the wheat godowns in Bulhari and checked the wheat stocks.

The secretary was informed that 735,318 bags of wheat were stored in the government wheat godowns which had been brought from different wheat procurement centres of Dadu district.

Taking serious notice of decrease in the weight of wheat in the Bulhari godowns last year where 29,790 bags were stored and seriously affected due to rain water, the secretary suspended the former godown in charge, Zulfiqar Ali Mallah. He also directed the director food to hold departmental inquiry against Mallah.

He also inspected three government wheat godowns in Hyderabad where 183,327 bags have been stocked. He also checked the pesticides and insecticides and directed the godown staff to take good care of the wheat stock.

He also visited Sukkur flour mills and directed the mill administration to improve the quality of flour and publicise the flour stall established at the mill gate.

DOE: District officer education (elementary) Hyderabad has directed the staff working under him to report for duty at the end of summer vacation without fail.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, he warned that if any employee failed to report on duty after vacation, strict action would be taken against him under the government removal from service special power ordinance 2000.

He said similar action would also be taken against those who leave the city or the country or remain absent without prior permission.