3 Sep 2007,
NEW DELHI: Taking suo moto cognizance of reports of tribal children being trafficked to Gujarat from Rajasthan to work in cotton farms, the National Human Rights Commission on Monday issued notices to both the state governments. The NHRC issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Rajasthan following a report which said that tribal children, aged between 10-15 years, from Banswara, Dungarpur and Udaipur in Rajasthan were being trafficked to cotton farms in Gujarat's Sabarkantha and Banaskantha districts. Noting that the incident was a "serious issue of violation of human rights", the commission said it has asked the senior officials to submit their replies within four weeks. It said the children were paid Rs 40 for 10 hours of work when the minimum wage in the state was Rs 50 and even this meagre amount was not given to them. The NHRC said the amount was paid to the contractors who brought these children to the farms. Besides, these children, including girls, were made to live in makeshift shelters in the middle of cotton fields, making them vulnerable to abuse, the report said.