Officials instructed to conduct spot checks

LAHORE:

Chief Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal on Tuesday directed all commissioners to conduct surprise inspections across brick kilns.

The chief secretary handed out the directive while chairing a meeting of the Steering Committee for the Elimination of Child Labour at the Civil Secretariat.  Gondal also directed the officials to take strict action against those involved in employing children as labourers across brick kilns. The chief secretary said regular and strict action should be taken against those found to be flouting the law.

Gondal said all public departments and pertinent institutions should work in tandem to eradicate child labour at brick kilns. He directed Schools Education Department officials to quickly complete the enrolment of children of brick kiln workers across educational institutions. Gondal said comprehensive measures were being taken to eliminate child labour at brick kilns province-wide.

He said the provincial government had enhanced punishment for those involved in the practice. Gondal said special measures were being taken to educate children of brick kiln workers. 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th, 2016.