Mysuru: Eliminating child labour and safeguarding the rights of children must remain a collective priority for society, said senior civil judge Nagaraju S Ankasadoddi.Speaking after inaugurating the World Day Against Child Labour programme in Mysuru on Thursday, addressing students and officials, he observed that child labour often remains hidden from public scrutiny and urged citizens to remain vigilant and report such cases immediately.Stressing that every child deserves education and a secure future, he remarked that books, not tools, should be in the hands of children. Although the Constitution prohibits the employment of children below 14 years in hazardous occupations, he said the eradication of child labour requires active participation from society in addition to legal measures.Assistant labour commissioner Lalithabai highlighted the power of education in combating social evils. She advised students to value time, understand their rights and responsibilities under the law and cultivate positive friendships.Child Welfare Committee chairman Ravichandra spoke about the ‘Campaign Against Child Labour’ initiated by RLHP and expressed concern over the large number of children still engaged in labour across the country. He urged the public to make use of the Child Helpline 1098 to report violations and protect vulnerable children.
