Five out of the 40 child labourers who were rescued from a private spinning mill near Avinashi in Tiruppur district underwent COVID-19 tests, an official said on Thursday.
Avinashi Tahsildar G. Santhi said that three girls and two boys were found with fever after they were rescued from the mill in Alathur village panchayat in Avinashi Block on Tuesday. Their swab samples were lifted at a primary health centre in Cheyur village panchayat before they were made to stay at three homes in Palladam, Avinashi and Anupparpalayam. “These five children have been isolated from the rest within the homes and are healthy,” Ms. Santhi told The Hindu.
Officials from Childline, Department of Social Welfare, Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health, Tiruppur district police and Child Welfare Committee rescued the 40 children based on information. Aged between 15 years and 18 years, the minors were brought from four districts – Tiruvannamalai, Tirupattur, Vellore and Krishnagiri – allegedly without e-passes and were made to work against their will.
Sources in the Revenue Department said that the children were provided with food and shelter during their stay and that there were no signs of physical torture. Action will be initiated against the spinning mill soon and efforts to send the 40 children back to their hometowns are under way, according to the sources.
District Collector K. Vijayakarthikeyan said investigations regarding how these 40 children entered Tiruppur district without e-passes were under way. “We have instructed officials at the taluk level to keep a closer watch and to prevent such untoward incidents [in the future],” he said.
