Even as the government is taking up a host of programmes for rehabilitation of children without access to education and those working as labourers in commercial establishments, a group of kids were found engaged in a road construction project here in Keonjhar district. In blatant violation of anti-child labour laws, over 10 children were Saturday found carrying earth on their heads for construction of Arsala-Durgapur road, according to a report. Though this correspondent had drawn the attention of the residents of Durgapur and a supervisor of a contractor in this regard, the latter did not pay heed to him. Executive engineer of the road and building department at Jhumpura, Nihar Nayak had warned the supervisor against engaging children in the project. The villagers later intimated the issue to the departmental engineer concerned and district labour officer. The engineer then ordered for halt of the work. District labour officer Jit Hansda said action will be taken against the contractor over allegation of violation of anti-child labour laws. According to reports, children in some trial-dominated pockets of the mineral-rich district are forced to do hard manual labour in various projects and are often seen tending cattle in forests when they should have been in schools. It was learnt that most of them are leading miserable lives.
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