Annual Report 2008-2009 - whether release certificates have been handed over to all the freed bonded labourers after verifying their identity in person. 7.13 While identification and release are reported to be coterminous, there is a gap of one year between the date of release and date of sanction of rehabilitation assistance. Other than this, a much longer time lag existed with regard to the implementation of the rehabilitation proposal. As a result, the freed bonded labourer either migrated or returned to the erstwhile bonded labour keeper, both of which are not desirable. It was felt by the Special Rapporteur that the special problems relating to inter-state migrant workmen, especially those migrating from Bihar to Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat and thus obtaining the status of bonded labourers at the destination point, should engage the serious and urgent attention of the nodal Department in general and of the State Government in particular. B. Child Labour System 7.14 Ever since the NHRC came into existence, it has been continuously monitoring the situation of child labour in the country and in the process has issued recommendations for compensation as well as penal action against all offenders. State Reviews 7.15 In order to facilitate the practice of eliminating the problem of child labour in the country, the Commission since 2000 has been making status reviews of all those States/Union Territories where this predicament seems to be rampant. During the year under review, the NHRC through its Special Rapporteur focussed its attention on Tamil Nadu ( July 2008), Uttar Pradesh (July 2008) and Maharashtra (July 2008). The observations and recommendations contained in Special Rapporteur’s reports are summarized below: Tamil Nadu 7.16 Periyar, North Arcot, Coimbatore, Madurai, Ramanathpuram and Thiruvenlvelli districts account for a high proportion of child labour in the State of Tamil Nadu. In comparison, the proportion of child labour is relatively lower in districts like Thanjavur and Chengalpattu. On the other hand, in Dharmapuri and Salem districts, child workers form a strikingly higher proportion to the total work force available in the districts. Sivakasi in Viruddhanagar district has the dubious distinction of having the world’s highest concentration of working children that is employed in production of safety matches, firework explosives and printing industry. Other occupations where working children are found in large number in Tamil Nadu is the beedi industry (Vellore, Tiruchi and Thirunelvelli districts), silk handloom weaving and handloom industry (Chengalpattu, Vellore and Thanjavur districts), gemstone cutting and polishing (Tiruchi and Puducottai districts), tanneries (Vellore, Dindigul and Chennai districts), powerlooms (Periyar, Coimbatore and Salem districts) and cotton rope manufacturing (Vellore and Madurai districts). Additionally, a large number of children are employed in the service sector which officially may not be accounted for. 97