2019 Anaj Mandi fire: More than 200 child labourers rescued since January, Delhi HC told

Appearing for the NGO, advocate Prabhsahay Kaur submitted that more than 200 children had been rescued by the Delhi Government pursuant to the last order of the high court. The HC in its January 11 order had directed that committees be formed under the supervision of the chief secretary of Delhi, and the deputy commissioner of police of each district in coordination with the Department of Labour, Women and Child Welfare Department, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

“The children who are found to be working in these units should be rescued and the directions given by this Court vide Order dated 20.09.2019 in CRL.M.A.35002/2018 in W.P.(CRL) 2069/2005 should be complied with,” the Court had ordered. The high court had in 2019 issued various directions to the Delhi government to deal with the issue of child labour.

The HC had also previously directed the Delhi government to search the 183 locations where the children were allegedly working and conduct an investigation, while also asking it to file a status report on the action taken.

On Monday, advocate Satyakam appearing for the state government submitted that compensation of Rs 10 lakh as mentioned in its status report has been paid to relatives of all 45 persons, and that process of conducting further raids is happening. The HC further directed Delhi government, chief secretary for further supervision and action in the said matter.

Delhi government’s Labour department’s March status report further states that an amount of Rs 1 lakh has been given to 13 of 17 injured persons, while four persons have been traced and will be paid the compensation amount. A status report filed by the Delhi Police also indicates that between December 1, 2019, and January 31, 2023, around 1,755 child labourers have been rescued. As per the petitioner, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, around 205 children have been rescued in raids conducted between January to March 25 and 101 such premises have been sealed.

In its January order, the HC had termed it “extremely disturbing” that the government is actually taking a lackadaisical approach and is showing extreme insensitivity in this case which has resulted in the death of 45 persons, including 12 children.

“It is expected that in the last three years, the Government has already identified the relatives of the victims who have lost their lives in the incident. If the exercise has not been concluded yet, then the Government is directed to conclude this exercise within four weeks from today… Any lapse on the part of the Government in not paying the compensation would be viewed very seriously by this Court as willful disobedience of the Orders of this Court,” the Court had said in its 13-page order in January.