A video of an 8-year-old child made to clean a toilet at a Covid-19 quarantine facility has gone viral since it was recorded a couple of days ago. The incident which happened in Maarod village in Sangrampur tehsil of Buldhana district of Maharashtra is being probed by authorities as the government has set up isolation centers at government schools to contain the spread of the virus devastating India and its rural areas.
In the video, a panchayat samiti employee was captured giving instructions to the child to clean. According to India Today, the group development officer of Sangrampur panchayat samiti had ordered the schools to be cleaned as they were alerted that the district magistrate was supposed to visit for inspection.
The gram panchayat staff reportedly employed the boy to get the work done, adding that the group development officer knew what the minor was tasked to do. District administration officer S Ramamurthy suspended the panchayat samiti employee stating that the issue is under investigation. “An inquiry committee has been constituted and they will submit their report in three days. The employee seen in the video has been suspended. Action will be taken against whoever is found guilty.”
Meanwhile, the District Magistrate ordered a probe into the matter and has asked for a report to be submitted in three days. BJP leader Chitra Wagh has implored Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to take action against the concerned employee, the group development officer, as well as the collector.
The video that surfaced highlighted the state of abuse in India's labor laws as it clearly showed the rights of the child being violated in this case. Not only does it violate the child’s right but forcing the young boy to clean the toilet at the Covid-19 center puts the child’s life at risk. The Maharashtra government has also initiated action against the responsible authorities involved in this case.
In an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus infections in villages, the Maharashtra government announced a “corona-free village” contest to encourage the rural areas to keep their own backyards clean and Covid-free. The winning village in each revenue division of the state will receive a prize money amounting to Rs. 50 lakh ($5 million).
