Coal thieves hire school dropout childrens to carry coal in Margherita Sub division

The Child and Adolescent Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, which was enacted by the Parliament of India and the Ministry of Labour and Employment, states that no child under the age of 14 can work in any business establishment or other workshop, but unfortunately, in the Margherita Sub division, where illegal coal trade is rampant, coal thieves hire school dropout students aged 11 to 13 to work at Tirap, Tikak, Ledo 6 Number line, Paharpur, and Baragolai.

According to sources, the majority of school dropout students who left school after Class 7 belong to Adivasi, Hindi-speaking, and Minority communities, and these students are brainwashed by coal thieves, who ruin their lives by engaging in illegal coal-carrying businesses, where they suffer from back pain, vomiting, and skin disease after a few years.

It may be mentioned that in the North Eastern Coal fields, Coal India limited Margherita has kept Private Security and Assam Industrial Security Force(AISF), but in the name of security, daily 100 crores worth of coal is illegally stolen from the patkai mountain(Coal fields) where coal is found, but due to huge amounts of commission Security forces of Coal India limited Margherita allow to steal, said an educated youth of Margherita in the name of anonymity.

If the Tinsukia District Labor Commissioner, Tinsukia District Administration, and Margherita Administration (Civil) do not take proper action, school dropout students will increase in Margherita Sub division in the coming days, and more illegal coal trade will take place by so-called coal thieves of Margherita Sub division, according to an educated youth from the Margherita region.

Margherita residents have petitioned the Margherita Administration (Civil) and the Tinsukia District Labor Commissioner to prosecute coal thieves who hire school dropouts to work in illegal coal mines in the Margherita Sub division.