Dimapur: Kohima District Task Force (DTF) on Child Labour on Tuesday launched the Pan-India Rescue and Rehabilitation Campaign 4.0 as part of a nationwide initiative of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).An awareness programme is being conducted in schools across Kohima district from August 24 to 28 as part of the campaign. It seeks to sensitise students and teachers about child labour, child rights and the importance of education.As of Tuesday, the programme had covered Govt Middle School (GMS) L Khel, GMS P Khel, GMS Merhulietsa and GMS New Minister’s Hill, reaching students and teachers in the four schools.The DTF will continue the awareness drive in more schools during the campaign period.The programme highlighted provisions of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, including the prohibition on the employment of children below 14 years and adolescents aged 14 to 18 in hazardous occupations and processes.Participants were also briefed on the penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for employers who violate the Act.Teachers were asked to monitor attendance closely and report cases in which a child remained absent from school for 15 consecutive days to the authorities concerned for timely intervention.Following the awareness campaign, the Kohima DTF will conduct inspections and rescue operations to identify children and adolescents engaged in prohibited employment and facilitate appropriate rehabilitation and follow-up action.The DTF appealed to the public, schools, parents and communities to support the campaign and report suspected cases of child labour, with the objective of making Kohima a child-labour-free district.
