Pul asks Centre to allow ALG for civilian use
NEW DELHI, Jun 10: The Chief Minister has requested the Centre for concurrent use in peacetime of the airstrips being developed by the Defence Ministry and Airports Authority of India.
Chief Minister Kalikho Pul said this during a meeting with the Civil Aviation Union Minister, Ashok Gajapathi Raju in New Delhi on Friday where the issue of poor air connectivity in Arunachal Pradesh was discussed.
The Chief Minister said that the eight Advance Landing Grounds (ALG) at Ziro, Aalo, Mechukha, Pasighat, Walong, Vijaynagar, Tuting and Tezu being commissioned must be allowed for dual use to enable effective connectivity, which would also give a boost to tourism and economic development.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Raju has agreed to depute a team of officers from the Centre for site visit to start work for civilian airport in the state capital.
Pul said the matter of a civilian airport for state capital has been hanging for long and there is a need to quickly move into implementation at a location, which is logistically most convenient and cost effective. In absence of air connectivity the development of the state has been hampered, the CM pointed.
Pul also urged that Air India/Alliance Air should commence regular flights to Lakhimpur and Tezpur. The state government would prescribe a subsidized fare and the gap for operational cost would be met through NEC support, he said. Earlier, the Secretary DoNER during his visit to Itanagar had agreed for such an arrangement, he added.
Further, to increase air connectivity in the state, the Chief Minister informed that the state government has plans to connect all district headquarters and important tourism destinations through helicopter services. This will not only facilitate travel of passengers and tourists, but NDRF and SDRF during disasters and also by law enforcement agencies, he said.
The Chief Minister also sought the support of the Ministry to run a helicopter fleet with appropriate subsidies and funding.
The CM was accompanied by Chief Secretary Shakuntala Gamlin and Resident Commissioner Geetanjali Gupta.
Honchun committee questions Rebia role
Staff Reporter
NAHARLAGUN, Jun 10: The Honchun Committee on disqualification of 14 MLAs submitted its report to the Speaker of Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly at Nokmey Namati hall on Friday.
Pointing towards discrepancy on the part of the then Speaker Nabam Rebia in carrying out the process, the committee in its recommendation noted, ‘following the law laid down in K A Mathialagan Vs P Srinivasan (AIR 1973 Mad 371-FB), the then Speaker Nabam Rebia could not have commenced the process of examining the petition, since he was disabled from functioning as Speaker from the date of notice of resolution of his removal from office tabled on 19.11.2015.’
It also noted that the counsel for the CLP leader himself deposed before the committee that non-attendance of three CLP meetings will not lead to disqualification and called for the petition to be dismissed.
'Choosing a Congress chief minister in place of another Congress chief minister, the respondents have not voluntarily given up their membership,' another of its recommendation reads. The INC MLAs dissent report was rejected by majority.
Headed by Chairman Honchun Ngandam who represents PPA, BJP MLA Tage Taki and INC MLA Pani Taram are the members of the committee.
Meanwhile, INC member Pani Taram in his statement asserted that in the presence of BJP member Tage Taki, Honchun Committee has come up with an unfair report.
'There are no critical examinations of the issues concerned with defection and there was no legal pursuit in a fair and objective manner of the questions referred by the Speaker. A facade of majority was created at the last minute thereby muzzling democratic expression and assassinating objective truth,' he claimed.
The petition was filed by MLA Rajesh Tacho in Gauhati High Court against MLAs Pema Khandu, Kumar Waii, Kameng Dolo, Markio Tado, Jarkar Gamlin, PD Sona, Mutchu Mithi, Kamlung Mossang, Phosum Khimhun, Wanglin Lowangdong, Thangwang Wangham, Lomo Tayeng, Kalikho Pul and TN Thongdok. The court first stayed and then finally quashed the petition on April 6 last taking serious exception to the then Speaker for not following due procedure. The high court then ordered that the Speaker must constitute a committee for making a preliminary inquiry into the petition and then to decide on the petition afresh.
Oral hearing on the petition will be done on June 28th, oral rebuttal the next day, June 29th, written submissions will be filed on July 2nd and the order will be pronounced on July 16th.
Forgery gang busted
Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Jun 10: In a major breakthrough, the Capital Complex police on Friday busted forgery gang by arresting four people identified as Juda Beyong alias Ajay Kumar Sono alias Waiter Dada alias Nibo Dada of East Kameng district, Tagya Tata of Bank Tinali, Hari Pradhan and Roy Das.
In a release, police informed that the accused were involved in generating many fake documents including trading license, land possession certificates, land allotment passbook, inner line permit, school certificates and arms and driving license and voter Identity card.
Acting on a tip off, a team of city police namely SI S. Nabam, SI P Nobin Jomoh, SI Sushant S Jhaa under the supervision of Inspector C. Longri and SDPO Jummar Basar raided accused Juda Beyong's rented house at Papu Nallah on Thursday around 9.45 PM. The other accused were arrested from Bank Tinali on Friday after the police team raided the shops of Roy Das and Tagya Tata.
Police further informed that alleged accused Tagya Tata is an owner of Tata Printech who runs offset printing at Bank Tinali. Police also informed that many high ranking government officers' fake seal including copies of fake signature of District Transport Officer, Ziro along with seal have been recovered from the accused. The police claimed that accused have admitted the crime during interrogation. It is said that the accused were running a racket duping hundreds of innocent people by selling forged documents. They were selling Land Possession Certificates (Rs 1 lakh),
Arms License (Rs 15000 to 20000) and driving license Rs 1500 etc. police claimed. A case has been registered with Naharlagun Police station with Nhlg PS case no.127/16 U/S 467/472,484 IPC. The accused are kept under police remand.
East Kameng’s narrative of hope against Child marriage
[ Taba Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, Jun 10: Child marriage was one of the most serious problems which deeply affected Arunachal till the early 90s.
Over the years due to education and growing consciousness among tribal people, slowly it is vanishing. However, in some parts of state especially in interior areas, isolated cases of child marriage are still being reported. The fight against child marriage and revenge killing has been a challenge for everyone involved in its eradication.
The role of civil society especially women group has been crucial in curbing the these practices.
In East Kameng district, women under the banner of Women Welfare Organization (WWO) have been leading the fight against child marriage.
WWO was established in the year 1980 and since then has been focusing on child marriage, domestic violence. Guided by East Kameng Social Welfare and Cultural Organization (EKSWCO) and supported by ICDS, Seppa the WWO has been carrying out awareness campaign in the interior parts of the district. Due to the intervention of WWO, a 20-year-old boy hailing from Puroik community, who was married off during childhood has came out and denounced it. Tania Pinche who hails from Pappu Valley while nullifying the child marriage also voluntarily gave up bride price amounting to Rs 1,12,500. Usually when a child marriage is annulled, the girl's family has to pay the bride price to boy's family.
Puroiks belong to one of the most backward communities and for years has been a marginalized group. Because of lack of education and devoid of development, the community is facing uphill task at all front.
Therefore considering their social background, it is laudable that Puroik community is taking major initiative in the fight against child marriage.
While talking to this daily, Pooza Sonam Natung, general secretary of WWO East Kameng informed that in the last one year, three cases of voluntarily annulment of child marriage has been reported.
"There might be many other such cases which we could not document. We believe this has been possible due to awareness campaign carried out to sensitize the people. I hope stories like that of Tania Pinche inspires others to stop the practice of child marriage which is inhuman and disrespectful," stated Pooza Sonam Natung.
Tana Nikam Tara inducted into AICTE
Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Jun 10: Engineer Tana Nikam Tara of Arunachal has been selected as one of the members of the All India Board of Town and Country Planning under the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
The nine member board, most of who are expert in town planning will be headed by Professor Chetan Vaidya, Director, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi.
The term of new member will be for period of 3 years. Hailing from Doimukh town under Papum Pare, Er Tana Nikam Tara is currently posted as Executive Engineer under PWD in Itanagar. After his schooling from Doimukh government secondary school, Er Nikam graduated in civil engineering from Bombay University in 1990. He joined PWD in 1992 as an assistant engineer. An active member of indigenous faith movement, he is also actively working for conservation of wild life at his native Sessa Village. AICTE has all together ten board of studies under its academic bureau. These boards advise the Executive Committee on academic matters falling in their areas of concern including norms, standards, model curricula, model facilities and structure of courses and all other areas of academic development in their respective fields.
CM calls for enhanced DoNER funding
NEW DELHI, Jun 10: Arunachal Chief Minister Kalikho Pul has asked the Centre to increase the budget allocations for Northeast while stating that the amount not spent out of Non-lapsable central pool of resource (NLCPR) should be kept at the disposal of the DoNER Ministry instead of getting reverted to the general exchequer.
He said this during a meeting with the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Dr Jitendra Singh in New Delhi on Friday.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the DONER ministry is not getting the full funding of the mandatory 10% earmarked for North Eastern region through NLCPR from the budget of various ministries/departments, which comes to around Rs 3000 crore in a year.
The DONER at present is getting only Rs 800 crore, which is hampering the development activities in the region, the CM said and urged that the constitutional provision of 10% funding from all ministries and department should be deposited with the DONER.
Further pointing out on downsizing of project estimate without consulting the State Government during sanctioning stage by the DONER, the CM requested the Ministry to convene a meeting with State Government officials and discuss before a final decision is taken.
He informed that the State Government is expediting the process for submission of all UCs in a timely manner and assured to ensure strict compliance of norms and timely submission of documents.
The Chief Minister further sought the attention of the Union Minister on non-release of balance funds despite submission of utilization certificate.
He also asked for provision of State-specific cost norm, re-examining the population criterion and linking it with distance and the made-to-order funding solutions. (PRO, CM)
Delegation meets Lowangdong, seeks posting of teaching staffs
ITANAGAR, Jun 10: A delegation of Changlang People's Forum (CPF), Changlang district on Thursday, met Education Minister, Wanglin Lowangdong in his office chamber and apprised him about the problems being faced by the students of GHSS Changlang and Rang Frah College (RFGC) due to shortage of teaching staffs.
The Forum claimed that despite repeated pleas to the higher authorities not a single teacher has been posted against the retired and transferred teachers at GHSS while, the RFGC, which was established way back in 1996, is still running without adequate teaching faculties.
Informing that the entire district has been facing shortage of over 500 teaching staffs, the delegation led by CPF President, Dangjung Salnang and CPF General Secretary, Tupkam Kitnya further submitted a memorandum to the Education Minister, wherein they demanded posting of subject teachers at GHSS and lecturers at RFGC, Changlang in the larger interest of the student community.
Governor suggests Heritage Village for the state
ITANAGAR, Jun 10: Governor JP Rajkhowa has suggested for a Heritage Village in Arunachal Pradesh on the lines of 'Mawphlang Village' of Meghalaya.
The Governor made the remark while appreciating the proposal of the Galo Welfare Society (GWS) requesting for a Tribal Heritage Complex. The GWS team led by its President Dr. Mitum Boje had called on the Governor at Raj Bhavan, Itanagar on Friday and submitted a twelve-point memorandum.
The Governor said that such centre will not only preserve and promote cultural richness of the state, but also attract tourists in large numbers.
The memorandum included Inter District Road connectivity, Inter Circle Link road, creation of new districts, establishment of Central Divisional Headquarters, Engineering College, Industrial Training Institute and Tribal Heritage Complex.
The Governor assured the Society to recommend the State Government to expedite the projects related to roads mentioned in their memorandum particularly Zirdo-Kadu Link Road. The Governor said that the elected representatives also must take up the connectivity issue at all levels.
Responding to the proposal for ITI by GWS in the foothills of West and East Siang Districts, the Governor reiterated that there must be an ITI in every district with either Government funding or in PPP model for skill development.
Secondary School building inaugurated at Dadam
KHONSA, Jun 10: The Government Secondary School building at Dadam CO headquarters was inaugurated by local MLA Tirong Aboh on Friday.
The double storied school building was constructed by the PWD under PWD SPA at an estimated cost of Rs. 1 crore and has 12 class rooms including a staff room, a meeting hall and headmaster's office. The building can accommodate 400 students.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Aboh recounted the evolution of Dadam Secondary School from a Primary to a Middle level school. He asked the students and the villagers to maintain the government infrastructure properly. The MLA further asked the parents to take special care of their children's education.
Further, the MLA urged the HoDs of work departments to prepare DPRs correctly and pursue the schemes with the state government with submitting Utilisation Certificates in time. He opined that the HoDs must be pro-active to initiate beneficial schemes for the people and should be ready to take a calculative risk. The MLA also asked the local people to work in close coordination with the departmental officers.
The MLA and the accompanying government officers planted saplings in the school premises.
Speaking in the function, CO Dadam, Asan Kri said that the school building was a long-felt need that would cater to the need of the students of Dadam area and asked the members of School Management and development committee to monitor the functioning of the schools effectively.
DDSE Pubi Lombi said that the secondary schools were upgraded depending on the strength of students from feeder schools and updated the problems being faced by the schools in the district. He hoped that more teachers would be posted in the Dadam Secondary School soon.
Earlier, a teacher of the school, Liamja Sumnyan informed that the Dadam Primary School was established in 1958. Headmaster Wangthian Hakhun spoke on the availability of infrastructures in the school and its shortfall. He requested the MLA to initiate steps to post subject teachers and sanction funds to procure teaching materials, furniture etc.
The programme was also attended by Chiefs, GBs, PRIs of Dadam circle.
Among others, EE PWD S.K. Badiala, DFO, Bitem Darang, OC, Lt. Col. S. Chandran threw light on the functioning of BRTF.
PRIs seek MGNREGA funds
KIMIN, Jun 10: The Anchal Samiti Members of III-Kimin Anchal Segment have expressed anguish over frequent delay in releasing of MGNREGA fund by state government in the last two years adding that MGNREGA Act 2005 which promises to provide at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment is totally violated in Kimin CD Block as well as other part of Arunachal Pradesh.
In a meeting presided over by Chairperson Kimin A/S Takio Yanu Tarh, it took note that total fund released for Kimin CD block by DRDA Papum Pare for wages portion was Rs 5.28 lakhs and Rs 7.58 Iakhs for financial year 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively for 1136 Job Card Holders. It alleged that going by the records fund for only 7 days wages have been released for two consecutive financial years which is a total violation of the Act.
The Panchayat Leaders have also demanded that the Department of RD should explain how and where 193 days of MGNREGA Fund has gone for those two consecutive financial years, as CD Block Kimin in particular has received only seven days wages fund out of 200 days.
It further wanted to know why the state govt is yet to release the fund for current financial year under MGNREGA.
It further said that IWWP funds and TFC grants in aid have not been allocated in the last two years.
NITI Ayog's decision questioned
ITANAGAR, Jun 10: The Adi Anong Autonomous Kebang (AAAK) has on Friday, questioned the NITI Ayog's decision to continue with the hydropower projects in the state and declaring projects of 100 MWs as small hydropower projects.
The AAAK questioned the grounds on which the NITI Ayog categorized the projects as small hydropower projects and sought clarification from the concerned authorities. The recent Tawang incident should be regarded as a deterrent as lives were lost in the hurry for carrying on with the projects. The government must take all the stakeholders along and hear their opinions before initiating any hydro power project in the state, it added.
Two die as truck falls into gorge
KOLORIANG, Jun 10: Two persons lost their lives when a truck bearing registration No.AR-01-04049, carrying empty gas cylinders from Koloriang met with an accident near Sangram here on Thursday.
The truck reportedly, skidded off the road while giving way to another approaching truck and fell into a 200 feet deep gorge.
The driver, who was brought to Sangram CHC, in a serious condition, succumbed to his injury while the other passenger died on the spot. Magistrate Mirpe Tato, SDO Sangram and OC PS-Sangram, T Tagia had also rushed to the accident site and recovered the dead body with the help of locals. (DIPRO)
Changlang gets new ZPC
CHANGLANG, Jun 10: Jowkhong Singpho, ZPM 3-Miao Zilla Constituency was elected unopposed as the new Zilla Chairperson of Changlang Zilla Parishad on Friday.
The election had to be held as result of the No Confidence Motion moved by seven ZPMs of PPA.
Repair Bridge soon
ITANAGAR, Jun 10: Claiming that the bridge at Bath village has been damaged and in need of immediate repair, the All Lorr Bath Youth Association (ALBYA) has in a release today appealed to the concerned authority to initiate repair work soon.
It has, in the meantime, urged the authorities to disallow plying of heavy vehicles at said bridge till it is completely repaired.
Hepatitis- B test camp conducted
BOMDILA, June 10: The two days free Hepatitis-B test camp for the people of the West Kameng district concluded on Friday at Indoor Multi Sports Complex, Bomdila.
The camp organized by the All Arunachal Pradesh Labour Union (AAPLU), West Kameng unit and the All Arunachal Pradesh Chemist & Druggist Association (AAPCDA), Bomdila unit aimed to create awareness amongst the people, especially the children and the rural people on the disease.
Inaugurating the camp on Thursday, ADC P Sora lauded the efforts put in by the organisations and stated that such noble venture should be taken to the doorsteps of the people in the far-flung areas of the district lacking in health facilities.
A total of 565 people were screened in the two days camp. DIPRO
Special Outreach Programme in Tawang
ITANAGAR, Jun 10: The Directorate of Field Publicity, Tawang Unit has organized Special Outreach Programme on the theme "Vikas Ki Nai Udan" at Sho village on June 10. The motto of the Special Outreach Programme was to sensitize the rural people about the various Flagship programmes of the Government of India.
DFP, Itanagar B. R. Khongwar said that the main objective of organizing the programme is to popularize the Govt schemes.
With a view to reach the people living in the far flung villages, he requested the line department in the district and block level to share information and extent co-operation for better impact.
ZPC, Tawang Jambey Tsering encouraged the participants to adopt centrally sponsored schemes for their benefit. He requested the concerned department to give more awareness so that schemes reach each and every corner of the district.
Website launched
ITANAGAR, Jun 10: Commissioner, Fisheries, Huzar Lollen on Friday launched the website of the Fisheries department amidst the presence of Director of Fisheries, J.Taba, Technical Director, Tasso Habung, Scientist-B, NIC-Itanagar Sanjiv Kumar Das and other officers of the department.
The website www.meenarun.nic.in will help in disseminating information pertaining to various schemes and guidelines of the department besides, the fisheries resources of the department.
It has been developed under the overall guidance of SIO, Arunachal Pradesh, Jyotish Roy and hosted at National Data Centre, New Delhi in cloud infrastructure.
Director of Fisheries, J Taba also assured that the site will be updated regularly for the benefit of its users.
Water tanks distributed
ITANAGAR, Jun 10: Water tanks were distributed to the villagers of Deomali, Tirap district by the 149 Bn CRPF as part of its civic action programme at the G/149Bn CRPF camp in presence of state legislative assembly Speaker, Wangki Lowang and CRPF 149Bn Commandant, Sameer Kumar Srivastava recently.
Lauding the CRPF for its noble initiative, state legislative assembly Speaker, Wangki Lowang said that such steps by the CRPF would help it maintain better relation with the general public.
CRPF 149Bn Commandant, Sameer Kumar Srivastava also spoke.
NSCN (R) cadre apprehended
Correspondent
JAIRAMPUR, Jun 10: An active cadre of NSCN (Reformation) identified as Turon Chena was arrested by Jairampur Battalion of Assam Rifles under the aegis of Headquarters 25 Sector Assam Rifles of 2 Mountain Division on Thursday.
The apprehended cadre hails from Simgwang village under Manmao circle Changlang district.
Based on a tipoff off on the presence of a UG cadre in New Khamdo village under Jairampur area, a team of Assam Rifles reached the location and apprehended him from a house. Extortion notes of NSCN (R) and narcotics have been recovered from the cadre.
On initial questioning, the cadre revealed that he is an active member of NSCN (Reformation) group and has been active in Jairampur and Manmao circle, extorting money from shopkeepers and timber mill owners.
Editorial
Onus lies with local people
The condition of Potin-Ziro stretch of Trans Arunachal Highway (TAH) is in deplorable
condition. As per the report, the condition of road is so bad that it is almost becoming
next to impossible to drive in the said stretch. Besides making journey experience
a horrible one, the pathetic condition of road also poses serious threat to life
of the motorists. Chances of accident are extremely high. With the monsoon onset,
the road will further deteriorate in coming days.
Poor condition of Potin-Ziro stretch of TAH has forced Nyishi Elite Society (NES)
and Tanw Supun Dukun (TSD) to come together seeking fast-tracking of the TAH work.
The two organizations have appealed to the Lower Subansiri Deputy Commissioner to
expedite the process for early execution of Trans-Arunachal Highway stretch under
Lower Subansiri district. It is good to see the apex body of two tribe joining hand
to revive this project. The Potin-Bopi stretch of TAH was approved way back in the
year 2009. However due to compensation issue the work has not started till date.
The compensation estimate has been rejected twice by the ministry of road transport
and highway. At present fresh re-assessment of compensation is going on. NES and
TSD should educate local people about importance of good road. They will have to
extend helping hand to the administration at the time of preparing compensation.
Only genuinely land affected people should be compensated. The people of Lower Subansiri
should voluntarily donate land free of cost wherever it is possible. It is a district
with high literacy rate and therefore onus lies on people of Lower Subansiri to set
an example for the rest of the state to follow.
________________________________
Readers’ Forum
Stumbling block
Dear Editor,
The reigning 68 years of unparalleled, unfathomable, colonial, authoritarian, egocentric
regressive and tunnel vision mindset and attitude of Indian Bureaucracy especially
Central Administrative Services and State Civil Services stood as the biggest stumbling
block in healthy progress and development of the nation as envisioned to be goal
of Indian Republic and it's Constitution.
Have a look at the attitudes; as if there are some special statuses of super class
citizens envisaged in law of the land for the Babus!
The Babus, the servants of people ought to be open and receptive to inputs, ideas
and interests of the people of the nation.
A respectful communication to an Indian Babu is such a nasty experience as if it
is like avoiding a confrontation with a rattlesnake. What a propped up super-ego!
Towering mansions of the Babus and their kith and kin on one side and around 350
millions of people below poverty equaling to 20% of the global poor on the other
side speaks volumes about their hollow contributions in the debilitated progress
and development of people of India.
I also personally belong to the class but my head hangs in shame and heart and mind
is filled with wonder when I look around the whole pathetic scenario in the country.
It seems like, creativity of the genius Albert Einstein and irrational egocentrism
of the Indian Babus will be directly proportional.
It needs drastic and revolutionary administrative and attitudinal reforms for great
transformation in governance of the country.
People are the real masters and rulers of the country and their paramount interest
and welfare to achieve equitable socio-economic-political growth should be the guiding
administrative philosophy of the Babus who are servants of the people.
My dear colleague Babus please cut down the nurtured irrational universe of ego because
it blocks the creativity and do cultivate an infinitely open rational mind to infuse
huge creativity in administration and governance which will rather transform holistic
progress of the nation.
Yours,
Tagam Mibang
Itanagar
An open letter to Sports & PWD Department
Dear Editor,
Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I would like to highlight that the results
of the Junior Engineer Exams conducted by the PWD is yet to be declared.
It is almost a year since PWD department conducted the written exam. Why are they
lingering so long to declare the results?
Because of misconduct in sports department, it has no other options left and that’s
why they have filed a case at high court for asking more JE quota’s for sports candidates.
And this is ridiculous. Why they should punish other candidates those who have well
done in written exam?
Therefore, I highly appeal to the sports department to withdraw their case and re-conduct
the exams through written exam for all sports quota especially for Junior engineers
(JE).
In case, if sports department cannot do this, then they should handover all sports
quota’s for JE’s to APPSC.
Even they know that the JE post is a technical post and there should be some form
of written exams to be conducted. My question to sports department is that, how would
you know the technical knowledge of the candidate without conducting written exams.
My humble request to sports department is that it should conduct written exam first.
Lastly, I would like to appeal sports department to withdraw their case from the
court and re- conduct the exams through ‘’written exam’’ as early as possible and
so that long pending results can be decalred.
Yours,
A Concern Citizen
World Day Against Child Labour
Dear Editor,
June 12 is observed as World Day Against Child Labour. On this day, we should unlearn
the myth that poverty is to be alleviated first and then only we can solve the problem
of child labour. This myth makes us unsure about how to react to someone who says
that he is doing a great favour to a child's family by employing her/him because
otherwise the child would have starved to death but now the child is having a square
meal and some monthly bucks as well. This excuse clears our conscience and makes
us comfortable to order the child to prepare another round of tea. Nobel laureate
Kailash Satyarthi points out that this excuse is as lame as it gets. He says that
poverty does not breed child labour but it is the child labour that perpetuates poverty.
Now, to get to his point, we can consider a poor family consisting of parents and
their two sons – one adult and one child. The market force will try to employ the
child as a cheaper option of labour. This will have a negative impact on the child’s
health, education and his acquiring necessary skills to cut the vicious cycle of
his family's poverty. Given India’s huge unemployment problem, the child’s entry
into the job market will certainly hamper his elder’s (or at least one other adult’s)
prospect of getting employment. If the adult brother gets the job in place of his
little younger one then their family income will, definitely, shoot up as a child
labour usually earns much less than his or her adult counterpart. Moreover, there
is every possibility that the parents will send their child who is fired from his
job to school to fend for his mid-day meal. Therefore, in this case, the child with
the help of increased family income and school education can become a game changer
for his family in particular and for India in general. So, it is not at all possible
to eradicate poverty without giving top priority to end child labour.
Those who think that they are helping a poor family by providing employment to a
child is actually pouring diesel to put out fires of poverty. We should all take
the pledge of not visiting those houses and shops that employ child labour on and
after 12 June 2016. We can help ferry the child labour from a shop/house/factory
to a school and thus creating an employment opportunity for an unemployed youth by
simply boycotting every killing field of childhood and its products. Now, let all
of us take the pledge and singalong, "We are the world/ We are the children/ We are
the ones who make a brighter day/ So let's start giving/ There is a choice we're
making/ We are saving our own lives/ It's true we make a better day/ Just you and
me."
Yours,
Sujit De, Kolkata
