New Delhi, Jan 23 (KNN) The Indian carpet industry, which is biggest exporter and producer of handmade carpets, has strongly rebutted allegations of use of child labour and utilization of health hazard and non-environmental friendly substances in the production process of carpets, especially in the Agra belt.

Despite the regulatory mechanism, one of the documentaries on Carpets from India aired by ARD- Public German TV Channel in the show PLUSMINUS dated 24th October, 2018 mentioned that there is child labour in the carpet industry of the Agra area (State of Uttar Pradesh).

Rubbishing the fact of presence of child labour in carpet industry as presented in the documentary, Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC) said “The content of the documentary was initially examined by the CEPC and found that the report does not have a base.”

With regard to such accusations, a survey was conducted by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), UNICEF India, Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC), District Administration & related departments and experts to check the truth behind the allegations and revealed that none of the child in the age of 0 to 14 years found to be working or employed in any looms of the area or in a factory.

The report further revealed that the children of households having looms are going school and their socio economic conditions are better in comparison to other families those who don’t have proper economic activities for regular income like carpet weaving.

Due to regular income, it was observed by the commission that some families are sending their children to private school.

The results of analysis have been presented on the opening day of the carpet fair Domotex on 11.January 2019 in Hannover.

The Indian Consul General, Madan Lal Raiger, Hamburg, officially released the study and emphasized in the same way as other speakers from the side of the Indian exporters that criticism of child labour in the carpet industry is very strongly exaggerated.

CEPC said “The Indian Government has improved the necessary legal framework comprehensively and has given the responsible institutions the respective competences.”

The same can be said for the environmental sector especially with regard to the utilization of harmful chemicals, it added.

It said “Controls by neutral organizations for auditing and certification as Kaleen and Rugmark in addition take care for the effect that child labour and environmental damages could be considerably reduced.”

This positive development shows clearly the considerable increase of social and environmental responsibility of the government and the private companies. This is not only for the benefit of the workers, the entrepreneurs and the local populations, but especially also to the advantage of foreign buyers and importers.

The Chairman Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC), Mahavir Sharma, reiterated the fact that India is committed to all social and environmental compliances and has strict child labour laws.

He further said that the CEPC in its mandatory code of conduct for its members has all these already outlined and the member in addition to strict legal action can also be debarred from its membership of the CEPC and denied all benefits as a member.

He said “This report has strengthened our resolve to fight child labour issues and also show cases our hard work of the last 25 years and we intend to take strict legal action against organizations or agencies or film producers who create this false, fictional, unreasonable, biased and malicious propaganda for self-gain and in bargain tarnish the image of the entire industry and the country as a whole.”