Fifteen month-old Shivani tugs at a plastic tape her
mother has wrapped around her leg and tied to a rock at a building site
in western India.
Barefoot and caked in dust, the toddler spends
nine hours a day in temperatures topping 40 degrees Celsius (104
Fahrenheit) attached to the 4.5 foot (1.4 meter) tape marked "caution."
Sarta Kalara, the mother, says she has no option
but to tether Shivani to the stone despite her crying, while she and her
husband work for 250 rupees ($3.8) each a shift digging holes for
electricity cables in the city of Ahmedabad.
"I tie her so she doesn't go on the road. My younger son is three and a half so he is not able to control her," said the 23-year old, covering her face with her sari.
"This site is full of traffic, I have no option. I do this for her safety."
"I tie her so she doesn't go on the road. My younger son is three and a half so he is not able to control her," said the 23-year old, covering her face with her sari.
"This site is full of traffic, I have no option. I do this for her safety."
There are about 40 million construction workers
in India, at least one in five of them women, and the majority poor
migrants who shift from site to site, building infrastructure for
India's booming cities.
Across the country it is not uncommon to see young children rolling in the sand and mud as their parents carry bricks or dig for new roads or luxury houses.
Across the country it is not uncommon to see young children rolling in the sand and mud as their parents carry bricks or dig for new roads or luxury houses.
Many such families live in tents on site or, like Shivani's, bed down in the open at night.
Prabhat Jha, head of child protection at Save the Children India, said creche facilities were rare, and usually cost.
Prabhat Jha, head of child protection at Save the Children India, said creche facilities were rare, and usually cost.
"There should be creche facilities, either from
the government or the construction companies. There should be a safe
place for these children. They are at real risk of being hurt," Jha
said.
Indian companies usually outsource the hiring of cheap labor. Contractors bring gangs of workers, often recruited from the same village, to lift, dig or hammer with little oversight or safety provisions.
While Shivani is tied to her rock, men pause for coconut and water amid the searing heat as mothers take quick breaks to feed their kids.
Indian companies usually outsource the hiring of cheap labor. Contractors bring gangs of workers, often recruited from the same village, to lift, dig or hammer with little oversight or safety provisions.
While Shivani is tied to her rock, men pause for coconut and water amid the searing heat as mothers take quick breaks to feed their kids.
Parents said their children usually stayed with
them until they are seven or eight, when they are sent to live with
grandparents in poor tribal villages in a neighboring state.
Kalara, holding Shivani as the plastic tape dangled from her leg, said managers had turned a blind eye to her plight.
"They don't care about us or our children, they are only concerned with their work."
When a Reuters photographer returned to the site on a second day, a group of laborers laying power cables threw stones at him.
Kalara, holding Shivani as the plastic tape dangled from her leg, said managers had turned a blind eye to her plight.
"They don't care about us or our children, they are only concerned with their work."
When a Reuters photographer returned to the site on a second day, a group of laborers laying power cables threw stones at him.
About Unknown
Uncle Gistus loves gist and is so passionate to share along with people around the world so as to keep everyone updated.