Fund for child workers

MANY many thanks for having highlighted the plight of unfortunate child workers in the Cover Story.

The Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan has failed to bring children to schools. Rehabilitation of child workers under the National Child Labour Project is almost non-existent. Then what is the alternative left for the children withdrawn from work by the enforcement of laws? It is like forcing them to starve, beg or steal or fall prey to crime networks for survival.

That is why I am campaigning for a Child Workers' Career Fund for their rehabilitation and education. I have written to the Prime Minister and Members of both Houses of Parliament. My little sister and myself have reserved our savings as our contribution to the fund. Through you, I request all the students of our country to skip breakfast one day and keep the money saved thus for this purpose.

For details, please visit the following web site: www.freewebs.net/nishantnihar

Nishant Nihar Standard VIII, Section A Ruchika High School Bhubaneswar

E-mail: Nishantnihar@gmail.comChild labour

THE Cover Story ("Stolen childhood", November 17) with its moving prose and graphics was remarkable. It was heart-rending to see the picture of eight-year-old Manna Reja carrying stones on his head.

As mentioned by Jayati Ghosh, it is indeed the sacred duty of all of us "to express a greater degree of outrage" and resort to "social action" to get rid of all forms of child labour. Tamil Nadu, which led the way in providing free mid-day meals to schoolchildren, must now show the way in eliminating child labour.

Kangayam R. Rangaswamy Wisconsin, U.S.

Banning child labour is the right step but a proper rehabilitation plan is also needed. The social evil can be ended by creating more awareness, especially among the poor, and providing financial help and more jobs to adults.

Mahesh Kapasi New Delhi

WE cannot eradicate child labour or any other social evil by making laws. It needs a mass movement to change the perception of society. The most effective solution to child labour is providing adequate employment opportunities to the poor and education to all.

Akhil Kumar Delhi

The photograph on the cover was moving. Who can understand the feelings behind the innocent smile of the girl working in a mine? It may take centuries for India to realise its dream of becoming a developed nation.

S.M. Vijay Kumar Sasalu, Karnataka

IT is painful to note that India has the world's largest child labour population. Poverty is the main reason for this.

V. Rajendran Paramakudi, T.N.

The new law against child labour in eateries and at homes is one more in the series whose implementation has proved to be next to impossible. Free and easily accessible schooling is a distant dream for many children in India.

Adding insult to injury is the shameful fact that children serve as bonded labourers. Recently, in Vellore I came across families who are in bondage because of the loans (as low as Rs.5,000) they have taken from beedi barons. The entire family, including children, roll beedis from dawn to dusk.

Jeevan Kuruvilla Vellore, T.N.

IF India wants to be a welfare state and emerge as a great economic power, it has to tackle this issue with a human touch.

A.T.M. Anwar Hyderabad

AN intensive survey of child workers should be undertaken by State governments. The district administrations should form special task forces with the help of non-governmental organisations, service organisations and student volunteers to conduct a social audit, besides tracking down new traps laid for children. Care should be taken not to omit the `nowhere' children (who are neither enrolled in school nor accounted for in the labour force). The State governments should also get a declaration from entrepreneurs that they do not employ child labourers in their businesses.

A national alliance against child labour should be formed through a social partnership strategy instead of relying on offfcial projects with a "top-down" approach. Help lines should be installed in all district headquarters.

P. Jegadish Gandhi Vellore, T.N.

Unless we bring about a change in the mindsets of people, the government's efforts will not yield results. Children's right to basic education must be recognised.

J. V. Narasimha Raju VijayawadaBrazil

Lula da Silva has been brought back to power by the Brazilian voters for one more term, a rare honour in that country ("Lula landslide", November 17). His work and conduct should be such that the common person's faith in him is vindicated. Unfortunately, there had been allegations of corruption against Lula and his team in his first term. Lula should keep in mind that people voted for him despite this.

Nutan Thakur Lucknow

Lula's re-election points to one common factor Brazil has with India. If you take care of the bottom 25 per cent of the population you will be assured of their unflinching support despite corruption. In the next four years of his presidency Lula should join India and other developing countries in making their voices heard in international fora, especially the WTO.

Y.N. Murthy HyderabadU.S. Muslims

The election of Ingrid Mattson as president of the Islamic Society of North America it is not a routine affair ("Islam in America" November 17). That Mattson is a Roman Catholic by birth makes her election even more significant. When she says, "there is no point in hiding our problems", it becomes an insider's voice and a sane one. All religions need such leaders who are willing to talk in a free, fair and friendly manner with the aim of bringing peace and prosperity in the world. What can be a higher goal of religion than this?

Amitabh Thakur LucknowNuclear Korea

P.S. Suryanarayana has rightly hinted that U.S.-South Korea dialogue reveals the complexities of non-proliferation in East Asia ("Nuclear fallout", November 17). Seoul will not reverse its "sunshine policy" of engagement with Pyongyang. It will not abandon its industrial projects in North Korea. With its failure in Iraq, the U.S. cannot afford to fail to provide a nuclear umbrella for Seoul. This is consistent with the Mutual Defence Treaty between Seoul and Washington.

Thomas Edmunds ChennaiReservation

This has reference to the article "Ambiguous verdict" (November 17). The government should extend all help to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes during their early education in the form of free books, fee waiver and special classes. After this they may not need reservations in higher education and jobs. A provision can also be made for waiving the fees for students from oppressed sections when they are admitted to the Indian Institutes of Technology, the Indian Institutes of Management and other institutions of higher education.

Harshdeep Singh Rapal SecunderabadHerat

Romesh Bhattacharji's article, backed by the excellent photographs of the Afghan province of Herat, was captivating ("Historic Herat", November 17.)

While the magnificent pictures of Musallah Minar, Gohar Shad's mausoleum, Jami Masjid and Qila Ikhtiaruddin are perfect examples of Islamic architecture, the picture of the traditional mudhouses with chimneys to cool their interious in summer is evidence of the technical finesse that prevailed centuries ago.

S. Balakrishnan JamshedpurMattoo case

The article "Judgment to remember" by R.K. Raghavan (November 17) conveyed a lot of messages. Justice has been done to a family that has lost one of its young members. Parents should do everything possible to ensure that their sons do not become a social menace like Santosh Kumar Singh.

A. J. Rangarajan ChennaiAnganwadi

In the article "Burden without benefit" (August 25) it is mentioned that an officer of the Ministry of Women and Child Development argued that Anganwadi workers and helpers did not put in more than four hours of work daily. This is one of the stock replies of bureaucrats and is far from the truth.

The Government of Delhi has issued an order stipulating five hours of work a day for them. Besies that, the work of other departments is also given to them. On an average, they work for more than 6 hours a day.

The Government of India constituted in 1997 a committee to review the benefits/facilities provided to Anganwadi workers and helpers under the Integrated Child Development Services. The committee submitted its report in 1999, which observed that their workload had increased.

Suchitra Mohapatra General Secretary Akhila Bharatiya Anganwadi Karmachari Mahasangha Bhubaneshwar

Real India

Your Cover Stories on the farming crisis in Vidarbha ("Dead end", September 8) and manual scavenging ("India's shame", September 22) gave a real picture of India. Hats off to Frontline.

Gangadhar S. Patil BangaloreANNOUNCEMENT

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