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10 Introduction<br />
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stones 30 .<br />
Trichy, <strong>in</strong> Tamil Nadu, is among <strong>the</strong> 5% rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>gem</strong> polish<strong>in</strong>g centres <strong>in</strong> <strong>India</strong><br />
where ma<strong>in</strong>ly syn<strong>the</strong>tic <strong>gem</strong> stones are cut, shaped <strong>and</strong> polished. It is estimated that out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> total<br />
workforce <strong>of</strong> around 60,000 artisans, 8,000-10,000 31 are under <strong>the</strong> age <strong>of</strong> 14. In this <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> work<strong>in</strong>g children are bonded child <strong>labour</strong>ers 32 .<br />
Concern<strong>in</strong>g <strong>adult</strong> <strong>labour</strong>, <strong>the</strong> focus is on <strong>the</strong> <strong>garment</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry <strong>in</strong> Bangalore. Bangalore is ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />
example <strong>of</strong> a <strong>garment</strong> manufactur<strong>in</strong>g centre which is thriv<strong>in</strong>g on cheap <strong>labour</strong>: women workers 33<br />
who are <strong>the</strong> cheapest workers after child <strong>labour</strong>ers. Of <strong>the</strong> total workforce <strong>of</strong> 250,000 workers, it<br />
is estimated that 80% 34 is female. In Tirupur <strong>and</strong> Jaipur, some <strong>in</strong>formation on <strong>adult</strong> <strong>labour</strong> was<br />
ga<strong>the</strong>red also but, as mentioned earlier, <strong>the</strong> focus <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>se places has been on child <strong>labour</strong>.<br />
The objectives <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> study<br />
The objective <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> present research project is three-fold.<br />
The first objective is to get more detailed <strong>in</strong>formation on <strong>the</strong> terms <strong>and</strong> conditions <strong>of</strong><br />
work <strong>of</strong> child <strong>and</strong> <strong>adult</strong> <strong>labour</strong>ers, with <strong>the</strong> focus on child <strong>labour</strong>, <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>export</strong> <strong>oriented</strong><br />
<strong>garment</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>gem</strong> polish<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry <strong>of</strong> <strong>India</strong>, on <strong>the</strong> structure <strong>and</strong> processes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se <strong>in</strong>dustries<br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternational trade <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir manufactured products; <strong>garment</strong>s <strong>and</strong> <strong>gem</strong><br />
stones.<br />
Areas which are <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> 'terms <strong>and</strong> conditions' <strong>of</strong> employment <strong>of</strong> children are: social<br />
background <strong>and</strong> religion, ages, wages, work<strong>in</strong>g hours <strong>and</strong> employment, family size <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>come<br />
<strong>and</strong> reason for work<strong>in</strong>g, op<strong>in</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> work<strong>in</strong>g children on child <strong>labour</strong>, education, recreation,<br />
work<strong>in</strong>g circumstances, health hazards, future plans <strong>and</strong> a separate section on <strong>the</strong> work<strong>in</strong>g girl<br />
child.<br />
Areas which are <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> 'terms <strong>and</strong> conditions' <strong>of</strong> <strong>adult</strong> workers are: work<strong>in</strong>g hours <strong>and</strong><br />
overtime work, wages, statutory benefits <strong>and</strong> <strong>labour</strong> unions, casual <strong>and</strong> temporary state <strong>of</strong> workers<br />
<strong>and</strong> health hazards.<br />
The second objective is to f<strong>in</strong>d out what are <strong>the</strong> pull <strong>and</strong> push factors which cause child<br />
<strong>labour</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>garment</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>gem</strong> polish<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry.<br />
The former Government <strong>of</strong> <strong>India</strong> had formulated a National <strong>Child</strong> Labour Policy <strong>in</strong> 1987 to speed<br />
up <strong>the</strong> implementation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Child</strong> Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act <strong>of</strong> 1986. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
this policy ten hazardous <strong>in</strong>dustries were identified <strong>and</strong> selected for priority action to tackle <strong>the</strong><br />
30 Neera Burra, Born to work. <strong>Child</strong> Labour <strong>in</strong> <strong>India</strong>, 1995, p. 81<br />
31 A Status Report on <strong>Child</strong> Labour <strong>in</strong> Tamil Nadu. Based on An Annotated Bibliography <strong>of</strong> Studies/Surveys on <strong>Child</strong> Labour <strong>in</strong> Tamil<br />
Nadu, UNICEF, Madras, 1995. Written by R. Vidyasagar.<br />
32 Kapadia, K. (1995). The Pr<strong>of</strong>itability <strong>of</strong> Bonded Labour: The Gem-Cutt<strong>in</strong>g Industry <strong>in</strong> Rural South <strong>India</strong>. In: The Journal <strong>of</strong><br />
Peasant Studies, Vol. 22, No. 3, April 1995, pp.446-483.<br />
33 The Sunday, January 8, 1995. 'Fashion City. Why is Bangalore <strong>the</strong> Mecca <strong>of</strong> <strong>India</strong>'s <strong>garment</strong> <strong>export</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry?'.<br />
34 Deccan Herald, March 11, 1995. 'Sewn up by dire need'.
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