Broken childhood

Rajasthan, being the second largest state in India in terms of mineral deposits, obviously has the largest number of small mining leases in the country. The massive unscientific mining has caused a serious social hazard - employment of child labor in mining and quarry activities. Child labor is prevalent in unorganized sectors like quarrying, stone crushing, marble and masonry stone mining, transporting, head loading, stone breaking and in some of the processing industries like marble products, slate industry, diamond cutting etc, as it is available for a song. Studies indicate that in Rajasthan more than 85 per cent of mining activities are in the unorganized sector.

Of the workforce engaged in mining 15 per cent are children. Most of them belong to lower caste (Dalit community) and tribals. Generally, whole families work together in the mines. Women and children do the most unskilled tasks of clearing rubble and are paid low wages. Children start working around the age of 10 to12. Before that they are just not strong enough to carry heavy loads. They work as helpers at first, removing scrap and rubble, and gradually learn the tasks of making holes, and breaking and removing big slabs and rocks. There are no mechanisms for training them in what are considered the more skilled and better-paid tasks like handling the pneumatic drill and breaking slabs. The only method of picking up skills is through observation and practice.

Women generally bring their infant children with them to the work site, as they have no other child care arrangement. It is common for mothers to give their babies opium to keep them quiet while they are working. Thus addiction starts early and becomes a way of life. Children also get 'socialized' into the working culture at an early age and by the time they are old enough to start working (walking?) they are ready to make the transition.

Many of these children are below the ages of 10-12 and receive a meager 10-15 rupees per day.

Children too get into the mine labor force to supplement the low incomes of their families or to pay up the debts or act as bonded laborers. As they are not in the official payrolls of the companies, the wages they receive are entirely dependent on the moods of unscrupulous managers, supervisors and contractors. During the training period, they do not receive any wages and the period of training is left to the whims and fancies of the mine owners. Often, they are physically, mentally and sexually abused. The diamond mining industry, for example, employs a large section of child labor for cutting and polishing industry. Many young children and girls are employed for the nimbleness required in cutting diamond cutting. The total wage rates amount only to 1 per cent of the total cost of production of diamonds. Even global corporates like Ro Tinto and De Beers with all their declaration of respecting human rights, continue to purchase diamonds from India where child labor in diamond cutting and polishing is flourishing.

Child labor statistics can be very deceptive as they show a low involvement of children in the labor force. However, these figures have to be read in conjunction with the low school enrolment rates in order to get a comprehensive picture.

The children work in mines to earn a living, in a completely insecure environment. They work long hours without adequate protective equipment, clothing or training. They are exposed to extreme temperatures. Mining hazards include exposure to harmful dusts, gases, fumes that cause respiratory diseases.

Most importantly, children are deprived of education. 70 per cent of them had never gone to school. Even if some of them go to school, they drop out soon after joining.

Atrocities against them go unnoticed and unreported in India, as labor laws are lax and labour officers are highly corrupt.