CHILD LABOUR CHILD LABOUR IN CARPET INDUSTRY In the course of the year under review, the Commission held detailed discussions with the Government of Uttar Prrrdesh in respect of child labour in the carpet industry. As a result of these discussions and visits to the carpet manufacturing area on behalf of the Commission, a major project was launched, on 30 March 1999, in Varanasi to deal with the serious human rights problem. Justice V.S.Malimath, a Member of the Commission, released the project and the action plan in the presence of the Minister for Labour of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The Carpet Export Promotion Council and the Carpet Manufacturers Association offered their fullest support to the Government of Uttar Pradesh in their effort to eliminate the problem of child labour in that industry. 7.1 The project and action plan were prepared by the Labour Commissioner of Uttar Pradesh under the guidance of the National Human Rights Commission following initiatives taken by the Commission. The project envisages making an inventory of all the looms located in the carpet-belt of U.P., consisting of the Districts of Mirzapur, Badohi and Varanasi. The statutory authorities would, after visiting each loom, collect the relevant information in regard to each loom, the employer, the labourers employed, their age, the terms and conditions of their employment, including wages. If any children or bonded labourers are found, they would be rescued and steps taken for thdr rehabilitation. Children would be admitted in special schools established specifically for the purpose in the locality. Steps would also be taken to grant relief in accordance with the judgement of the Supreme Court in the case of M.C.Mehta vs. State of Tamil Nadu (JT 1996(11) S.C.685). All the particulars would be entered an a form to which the employer would affix his signature accepting the correctness of the information furnished therein. He would also undertake not to employ any child below the age of 14 years. Any change in employment is to be communicated to the concerned officers by the employer. Further, new employment will be provided only on pruduction of a certificate of age. Vigilance teams are to be constituted consisting of prominent persons in the village/town to keep a watch over the situation and to inform the concerned officers about the employment of any child or bonded labourer in any of the looms in their village/town. The teams will cover all of the places where looms are located in all the districts in the carpet-belt. The National Human Rights Commission will monitor the entire work through its Special Rapporteur for Uttar Pradesh, Shri Chaman Lat. The process would continue until the Labour Commissioner of Uttar Pradesh is in a position to certify that there is no longer any child/bonded labour in the carpet industry of Uttar Pradesh. 7.2 Given the great care that has gone into the preparation of this project and action plan, the Commission earnestly trusts that the Government of Uttar Pradesh will implement this 7.3