FAISALABAD: The Labour Department has arrested owners of 14 kiln houses on charge of child labour during June 2021.
Director Labour Faisalabad Region Munawwar Ahmad Awan said on Wednesday that there are 316 registered brick kiln in Faisalabad East Region while 148 kiln houses were working in Faisalabad West Region.
He said that teams of labour department surprisingly checked 104 kilns during June 2021 and found child labour at 14 kiln houses. The owners of these kilns were arrested besides getting cases were also registered against them for further action.
He said that child labour was strictly prohibited under labour laws but some elements were violating it as they think that child labour was cheaper than the labour of adult workers. Therefore, they indulged in child labour secretly but teams of labour department were surprisingly and regularly checking the kiln houses and zero tolerance policy was being adopted against child labour.
He said that during June, about 65 kilns were inspected in East Region and 39 in West Region.
During inspection, the labour teams found child labour at 8 kiln houses in East Region and at 6 kilns in West Region.
Therefore, owners of these kiln houses were arrested and further action against them was under progress, he added.