Dear Mr. Fadnavis,
It has been a great achievement for Maharashtra to have a young individual like you to head the state. I am a citizen from the city of Mumbai and I look up to you with pride. I know you are a man who is progressive and so I write to you to bring to light the desolate weakness of my city- child labor. My letter to you is to get the Maharashtra government to make all efforts possible to eradicate child labor.
Our city is springing ahead with achievement, like the financial sector, entrepreneurial as well as education sectors. However, we have turned a blind eye to the challenge of completely eradicating child labor. I have researched that 92 FIR’s have been filed and over a 100 arrests have been made in the past five years in my city. Yet, children are trafficked into Mumbai. You must be aware that they are from the poorer states of India like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. This is just the official study. In reality, there are NGO’s like Pratham who have quoted 1817 cases of children working in the city only, within a survey conducted over 2 months. The age of the children is between 5-9 years and this is an increasing ratio. How can children of such a young age be made to work? Colaba and Malad, Byculla and Dadar, Matunga and Parel. The highest number of cases have emerged from South Mumbai homes where children work as domestic help. Children of my age or that of my younger sibling’s age are working in tanneries and jewelry shops, in hotel kitchens or a neighbour’s house. This is tragic and alarming.
My letter urges you to take a critical look at this big issue against children of my city. Life gets difficult for these children. They feel hopeless and have no one to rescue them. I have become aware of their desolate condition after being involved in a research project I took up in my English class at school. I write this letter to you to urge you to take strict steps against people who ignore the laws against Child Labor. Strong punishments shall correct the lopsided attitude of people that break the law. I also urge you to have a campaign that creates stronger awareness in my city. Radio and television programmes, hoardings and newspapers, assistance to NGO’s, and the police will bring this issue awareness. I also strongly recommend that school curriculum should have community service as compulsory. If I have been suddenly awakened to this social evil, imagine a whole community working against it sincerely.
A cause can get the right direction only if there is enough financial as well as political support available. Every child, rich or humble, will get a chance to study and a time to play. I request you to take strict and necessary steps to eliminate child labor and make strict laws to protect children.
Thanking You,
Sincerely,
Shravan Salian
