DIBRUGARH: An anti-child labour task force on Tuesday rescued two child workers from Dibrugarh town. Dibrugarh district information and public relations officer Sulakshana Mithi Kachari said the task force rescued a 13-year-old girl from the residence of Niranjan Hazarika, a top PSU executive of an oil company from the Mohanaghat area. In a separate raid, another 13-year-old girl was rescued from the residence-cum-hostel of Bichitra Doley, a professor of the Assam Medical College Doley had engaged the minor girl as a domestic help at his residence - which also served as a private girls hostel for university students - in Duwarah Chuk area near Dibrugarh University . Both the raids were carried out based on specific information provided by the public.The labour department has filed separate FIRs against the two house owners at the Dibrugarh police station under Section 3 of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016. The rescued children have been put under the care of Prerna children home.A member of the task force said, "It is quite baffling that so many highly educated people in responsible positions are engaging child workers as domestic helps. Recently, a minor girl was rescued from the house of a Dibrugarh University deputy registrar. Similarly another minor girl was rescued from the home of a police officer. As it is a criminal offence to employ a child, we have lodged FIRs against all of them. At the same time, we have been organizing frequent awareness camps to educate people about the ills of child labour."Recently, the Dibrugarh district administration had started a childline tollfree number (1098) to deal with complaints related to child labour. The task force, that rescued the children, was formed by deputy commissioner Laya Madduri. The force comprises community leaders, anganwadi workers, social activists, NGOs, village defence parties, village headmen, locals and the police.The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 states that it is a cognizable offence to put a child - anyone below the age of 14 years - to any kind of work, including engaging them as domestic helps.

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