Operation Muskaan-X Rescues 18 Children in Raids

Gadwal: Legal action will be taken against those employing children under 18, as per the law - District SP T. Srinivas Rao, To eradicate child labor in society, the central and state governments conduct programs twice a year, such as Operation Smile and Operation Muskaan, to identify and return missing children to their parents and rescue child laborers. As part of this initiative, Operation Muskaan-X was successfully conducted in the district, said District SP T. Srinivas Rao, IPS.

To rescue children, teams were formed in the district comprising police, the Child Welfare Committee, the Labor Department, the Education Department, and the District Child Protection Department, with the support of various NGOs. Extensive inspections were carried out. During the Operation Muskaan program conducted from July 1 to 31 this year, 18 children (11 boys and 7 girls) were identified and reunited with their parents across the district. Eleven child laborers were freed, and their parents were counseled. The Labor Department imposed fines on three employers. The Child Department is making efforts to ensure that the rescued children continue their education, said the SP.

The responsibility to protect children's rights lies with all of us, and we must work responsibly to eliminate child labor. The SP urged the public to frequently identify and report cases of children being employed. When encountering street children or child laborers, the public should inform the authorities by dialing 100 or 1098 or by contacting local police.