For Children’s Welfare

IN a bid to eliminate child labour from the face of the earth, the first World Day Against Child Labour was formally launched by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) throughout the world the other day. In Nepal, the ILO and its partner organisations jointly observed the Day with various programmes. No doubt, children are the future pillars of any country and no country can progress unless it properly feeds, educates and guides its children. However, millions of children in the world, especially in the least developed and the developing countries, are compelled to face several severe problems that negatively affect their life. A recently released report ‘A Future Without Child Labour’ shows a gloomy picture of children worldwide. According to the report, 246 million children—one in every six children aged 5 to 17— are involved in child labour. The report further reveals that some 179 million children aged 5-7—one in every eight children in the world-are exposed to the worst forms of child labour that endangers the child’s physical and mental growth. In this context, the ILO has surely done a laudable task by launching the global day against child labour which will surely be helpful, in many ways, in improving the children’s condition.

In Nepal, like in many other developing nations, the overall condition of children does not seem to be encouraging as a large number of the children living in the rural areas are deprived of basic facilities like education, health care and so on, mainly due to poverty. Instead, these children of school-going age have to sell their labour for their livelihood. Even in the urban areas many children work as domestic helpers, whereas others either work at the labour markets or become street children. Despite the efforts of the government and Non Governmental Organisations, the country is yet to improve the condition of the poverty-stricken children and eliminate child labour in a desired level. Moreover, with the increasing activities of the Maoist terrorists in the recent years, the situation of the children of the Maoists-affected areas has worsened. The Maoist terrorists reportedly coerce the innocent school children to hold guns or use them as human shields while attacking police posts or army barracks. As such, the government needs to do more for the welfare of the children by launching awareness generating and other programmes so as to materialise the motto of the World Day Against Child Labour and ensure the secure future of our children.

Harmful Mangoes

THERE is a famous proverb that says, "The early bird catches the early worm". But when it comes to consumption of early mangoes, the consumers may be able to get their share of the fruit before the season for it begins, but with a greater health risk as the fruits have been artificially seasoned. For example much before the season for this popular fruit had arrived, the fruit shops and groceries elsewhere in the country could be seen selling the hastily ripened mangoes irresponsibly and without caring for the health of the consumers. In order to earn hefty sums of money through these types of earlier-than-natural fruit products, the farmers and traders hurried to ripen the ‘king of fruits’ by using chemicals and selling them in the market. That the consumption of the fruit has increased in the eastern part of the country due to the peoples’ hunger for its taste has posed a serious threat to public health.

Several varieties of mangoes such as Maldha, Amrapali, Dashahari and Calcuttia need some more time to get ripe naturally, according to horticulturists. But they are already being sold in the markets. A news report carried by this daily has it that the farmers and traders involved in this business have no idea of the harmful effects of consuming artificially ripened mangoes. Fruit farmers and retailers say that they earn three times the usual price when they sell fruits early and this clearly suggests that they are concerned only with the ‘money-minting business’ rather than doing a responsible business and showing concern about the health of the consumers. Chemically treated mangoes, according to public health inspectors, cause headache, gastritis, and diarrhea and can also result in dizziness and nausea. Consumption of such fruits effects the digestive system, thereby leading to a number of other health hazards. Therefore, it is not a healthy business on the part of farmers and traders to artificially ripen the fruits and vegetables and it is also not a wise decision on the part of consumers to buy and consume such fruits and vegetables. The authorities need to take timely action before the public suffers and endanger their health more. More importantly, the consumers also need to be careful before consuming the fruits and vegetables which are chemically treated for their own safety.