2 children rescued from water treatment plant

Sixbonded labourers including two children were rescued from a water treatmentplant in Chennai.

Policeinformed that the rescued children are from Odisha and were forced to workunder inhuman conditions after their employees paid their parents in advance fortaking them. The police were helped by some activists in the raid.

Thechild rights activist said that the parents of the children were paid betweenRs. 4000-6000 to take them to Chennai.

Theboys were made to work at the water treatment plant where strong chemicals areusually used to clean water without any protective gear and for long hours. Theactivists also informed that their hands and legs have scratch marks andbruises from the backbreaking work they had been doing.

Accordingto reports, their employees are on the run and the authorities have invokedstrict laws that seek to protect children and bonded labourers fromexploitation.

Theraid has been made at the water treatment plant in Chennai when the city is runningwith a severe water crisis in peak summer after lakes that give water to thesouthern city dried up.