Children in Uttarakhand Village Work in Cannabis Fields
In a shocking display of indifference by the authorities towards child labour, small children extracting contraband from 'bhang' (cannabis) leaves in the fields is a common sight in Matli Village in Uttarakhand.
Most of the children of Matli, many of them around ten years old, instead of being at school, are seen around cannabis fields extracting contraband for a meager amount to supplement paltry incomes of their poor families.
The extraction from the leaves of the cannabis plant is smoked, chewed, eaten, or infused and drunk to obtain mild euphoria.
"We squeeze bhang (cannabis) leaves and sell it. Most of the people buy it from us. We earn around 30-40 rupees in the process," said Anil, a child involved in the process of squeezing bhang leaves.
Consequently, these children have not merely become child labourers but are involved in the drugs trade totally oblivious of the consequences.
Shockingly, all this is happening with the willful consent and connivance of their parents who say that poverty and lack of employment opportunities in the area is the reason for sending their children for work in cannabis fields.
"They go to study at school sometimes, and on other occasions they rub bhang (cannabis) and sell it off for around 10-20 rupees. We don't have any other source of employment. So, this is the way we earn our living," said Meera, mother of a child labour
http://www.medindia.net/news/Children-in-Uttarakhand-Village-Work-in-Cannabis-Fields-38601-1.htm
