chandigarh

Updated: May 13, 2015 09:21 IST

Chief judicial magistrate Anubhav Sharma held a tea vendor, running a stall at the motor market in Sector 48, guilty of employing a child below the age of 14 years.

Taking into consideration vendor Monu's confession, the court imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on him.

The court held, "Monu was found employing the child under the age of 14 years in violation of provisions of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986."

The tea vendor was booked on the complaint of a labour inspector in July 2014. He, while appearing in court, opted not to undergo trial by admitting to his guilt.

Ban on child labour

The labour ministry imposes a ban on employment of children below the age of 14 years under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, which came into force on October 10, 2006.

The notification bans employment of children as domestic servants in dhabas (roadside eateries), restaurants, hotels, motels, tea shops, resorts, spas or at other recreational centres.

The government had long back banned government servants from employing children below the age of 14 years in their homes. The ban on children working in hazardous industries already exists.

The ban spells out a penalty of imprisonment ranging from three months to two years with or without fine that could vary from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000.

A senior UT official said that no one in the city has ever been penalised though a few were issued challans and many were warned against employing children under the age of 14 years. He said such measures had failed to act as a deterrent.

Earlier, too, two vendors were convicted

In October 2014, court had ordered two tea stall vendors - Ajay Singh of Kishangarh village and Suresh of Khuda Lahora village - to stand till the rising of the court and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each on them. The two were booked after a complaint on the child helpline regarding children being employed at their tea stalls to do odd jobs.