Flamingo

Chapter-2
Lost Spring: Stories of Stolen
Childhood

“Lost spring”, an extract from Anees Jung's book "The Lost Spring-
Stories of stolen childhood" has a tinge of irony. Spring being the best
eason of a year, is full of colour, fragrance, freshness, renewal and
growth. Similarly, the childhood of human life is often linked to spring, as
it marks the beginning of human life, full of joy, pleasure, play and
growth. The writer expresses her concern over the exploitation of childhood
in hazardous jobs like rag-picking and bangle making. Abject poverty and
thoughtless traditions result in the loss of childhood of millions of children
like Saheb and Mukesh by working hard to support themselves and their
families rather than enjoying their childhood by playing and seeking
education. There is a dire need to provide these poverty stricken
children, opportunity to dare, dream and do and a life of dignity.

Thus the title brings out the depravity of child labour in a very telling
way. The author examines and analyses the impoverished condition and
traditions that condemn children to a life of exploitation. These children are
denied education and forced into hardships early in their lives. The writer
encounters Saheb - a rag picker whose parents have left behind the life of
poverty in Dhaka to earn a living in Delhi. His family like many other
families of rag pickers lives in Seemapuri. They do not have any
identification other than a ration card. The children do not go to school and
they are excited at the prospect of finding a coin or even a ten rupee note for
rummaging in the garbage.

It is the only way of earning a living. They live in impoverished conditions but
resign to their fate. The writer is pained to see Saheb-e-alam, a rag picker
whose name means the ruler of universe, losing the spark of childhood and
roaming barefoot with his friends.

Now, from morning to noon, Saheb works in a tea stall and is paid Rs. 800
per month. He sadly realizes that he is no longer a free bird and master of
his own will. He is more of a bonded labourer with surrendered freedom and
identity and this loss weighs heavily on his tender shoulders.

The author then tells about another victim of poverty, Mukesh who wants
to be a motor mechanic and wishes to drive a car. Hailing from Firozabad,
the centre of India’s bangle making and glass blowing industry, he has
always worked in the glass making industry. He lives in a stinking
surrounding with choked lanes and garbage piles all around in a half built
shack with thatched dead grass roof with iron door and his family of three
generations uses firewood stove and aluminium utensils.

His family like the others there do not know that it is illegal for children to work
in such close proximity to furnaces, with such high temperature. They are
exposed to various health hazards like losing their eyesight as they work
in abysmal conditions, in dark and dingy cells. Mukesh’s father is blind as
were his father and grandfather before him.
They lead a hand to mouth existence as they are caught in the vicious web
of the money lenders, middlemen, police and the traditions. So, burdened
are the bangle makers of Firozabad that most of them have lost their
eyesight before even attaining adulthood. Their desire to dream and dare is
snubbed in their childhood only.

The author examines and analyses the impoverished conditions and

traditions that condemn children to a life of exploitation these children
are denied an education and forced into hardships early in their lives.

The writer encounters Saheb - a rag picker whose parents have left
behind the life of poverty in Dhaka to earn a living in Delhi.

His family like many other families of rag pickers lives in

Seemapuri. They do not have other identification other than a ration
card.

The children do not go to school and they are excited at the prospect of
finding a coin or even a ten rupee note for rummaging in the garbage.

It is the only way of earning the life they live in impoverished

conditions but are resigned to their fate.

The writer is pained to see Saheb, a rag picker whose name means the
ruler of earth, lose the spark of childhood and roams barefooted with
his friends.

From morning to noon the author encounters him in a tea stall and is
paid Rs. 800 He sadly realizes that he is no longer his own master and
this loss of identity weighs heavily on his tender shoulders.

The author then tells about another victim, Mukesh who wants to
be a motor mechanic.
 Hailing from Firozabad, the centre of India’s bangle making and
glass blowing industry, he has always worked in the glass making
industry.

His family like the others there do not know that it is illegal for
children to work in such close proximity to furnaces, in such high
temperatures.

They are exposed to various health hazards like losing their eyesight
as they work in abysmal conditions, in dark and dingy cells.

Mukesh’s father is blind as were his father and

grandfather before him.

They lead a hand to mouth existence as they are caught in the

vicious web of the money lenders, middlemen, police and the
traditions

So burdened are the bangle makers of Firozabad that they have lost
their ability to dream unlike Mukesh who dreams of driving a car.

1. Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the
context. Looking for: Trying to locate or discover
Slog their daylight hours: Struggle persistently during the daytime

Roof over his head: A place to live

Perpetual state of poverty: Endless impoverishment

Dark hutments: Encampment of huts devoid of any light

Imposed the baggage on the child: Enforced the profession on the child

Page No: 17 Think

As you Read

1. What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he
come from?
 Answer: Saheb is looking for gold in the garbage dumps. He is in the
neighborhood of the author. Saheb has come from Bangladesh. He came
with his mother in 1971. His house was set amidst the green fields of Dhaka.
Storms swept away their fields and homes. So they left it.

2. What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing
footwear? Answer: The author comes across many shoeless rag-picker
children in her neighborhood. According to her, one explanation of this habit
of remaining barefoot is that it is a tradition among the poor children of this
country. However, the author quickly mentions that calling it a tradition
could be just a means of justification of the utter destitution.

3. Is Saheb happy working at the tea-stall? Explain.

Answer: No, Saheb is not happy working at the tea-stall. He is paid 800
rupees and all his meals but he has lost his freedom. His face has lost the
carefree look. The steel canister
seems heavier than his plastic bag. He is no longer his own master. He is a
servant at the tea- stall.
Page No: 20

1. What makes the city of Firozabad famous?

Answer: Firozabad is famous for its glass bangles. The place is the centre of
India’s glass- blowing industry.

2. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.

Answer: The bangle makers face many problems in the glass industry. They
have to work in the dingy cells without air and light , in the high temperature
of the furnace . The dust from polishing the bangles is injurious to eyes. They
often lose their eyesight before they become adults. Their eyes are more
adjusted to the dark than to the light outside.

3. How is Mukesh’s attitude to his situation different from that of his family?

Answer: Mukesh belongs to a poor family of bangle-makers ,but his attitude is

very different from his family. He wants to break the family tradition of
bangle making. He is daring and determined. He has hopes and dreams. He
wants to be a motor mechanic.

Understanding the Text

1. What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to
cities? Answer: There are many factors that cause migration of people from
villages to cities. Some villagers voluntarily move to the cities in search of jobs
and better civic and health facilities, etc. Others are forced to migrate when
natural disasters like flood, storm, drought, famine, etc. destroy their houses
and properties. History has records of large scale migrations caused by wars.
Furthermore, many villagers who are better off than others manage to send
their children to study in the cities.
In the lesson ‘Lost Spring’, Saheb and his family migrates to Seemapuri
from Dhaka after their houses were destroyed in the storms.

2. Would you agree that promises made to poor children are rarely kept? Why do
you think this happens in the incidents narrated in the text?

Answer: Yes, the promises made to poor children are rarely kept. Often, they
are not taken seriously..They are made on the pretext of retaining a child’s
fancy for something. This keeps the child hoping for a better possibility till
he/she realises the truth. It is difficult for people to shatter the children’s
dreams; while it is also painful to see these children
thriving on false hopes given to them.

Once during an interaction with Saheb, the narrator ends up encouraging

him to study and jokingly talks about opening a school herself. At that time
she fails to realise that unknowingly she has sown a seed of hope in Saheb’s
heart. She becomes conscious of her mistake when, after a few days, Saheb
approaches her, enquiring about her school. Her hollow promise leaves her
embarrassed.

3. What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of

Firozabad in poverty?
Answer: The unfavorable social and legal systems, the deceptive middlemen,
and their own sad destinies keep the workers in the bangle industry of
Firozabad in perpetual poverty.

Talking about the Text

1. How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream?

Answer: Mukesh is different from the others in his community. By daring to

dream, he has already taken the first step towards a big change. He wants to
become a motor mechanic and drive a car. He can realize this dream with
determination and hard work. There might be many obstacles on his way but a
strong willpower will help him move towards the way to success. The fact that
 he is willing to walk a long distance in order to learn the vocation, underlines
his firm resolve. The only thing left for him to do is to make that first journey to
that garage and request the owner to take him in and guide and direct him
through his journey as a mechanic.
2. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.

Answer: The impoverished workers in the glass bangles industry toil in

potentially hazardous working conditions while welding. The furnaces they work
in have extremely high temperature and lack proper ventilation. Persistently
working in low light conditions, without any protective eye gear, leaves them
blind. Even burns and cuts are quite common.

The workers are quite prone to ailments such as lung cancer.

3. Why should child labour be eliminated and how?

Answer: Child labour should be eliminated because it takes away from the child
his childhood and the prospect of elementary education. Moreover, since the
child laborers are cheap, and consequently engaged in hazardous and
dangerous employment, they are often vulnerable to mental and physical
illness. In order to curb this problem, it is important to make education easily
accessible. Apart from that, the parents must be made aware of the
consequences of working in harmful environments. It is also important to make
the public aware of the fact that child labour is a criminal offence and is
punishable under law. The government must ensure that the offenders are
punished and stricter child -labour laws should be enforced.

Page No: 21 Thinking about Language

1. Carefully read the following phrases and sentences taken from the text. Can you
identify the literary device in each example?

1. Saheb-e-Alam which means the lord of the universe is directly in contrast to what
Saheb is in reality.

2. Drowned in an air of desolation.

3. Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi yet miles away from it, metaphorically.

4. For the children it is wrapped in wonder; for the elders it is a means of survival.

5. As her hands move mechanically like the tongs of a machine, I wonder if she knows
the sanctity of the bangles she helps make.
6. She still has bangles on her wrist, but not light in her eyes.

7. Few airplanes fly over Firozabad.

8. Web of poverty.

9. Scrounging for gold.

10. And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years, it has acquired the
proportions of a fine art.
11. The steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag he would carry so lightly over
his shoulders.
Answer: 1. Irony
2. Metaphor
3. Antithesis
4. Antithesis
5. Simile
6. Paradox
7. Alliteration
8. Metaphor
9. Metaphor
10. Hyberbole
11. Paradox

Multiple choice questions:

1. ’Why do you do this?’ This question was asked by the author to
A. The bangle sellers
B. Mahesh
C. Saheb
D. Saheb’s Mother

2. Saheb’s profession was that of a

A. Cook
B. Rag-picker
C. Bangle seller
D. Driver

3. Why did Saheb and his family move to Delhi?

A. because storms had swept away their fields and homes
B. their village was flooded
C. there were landslides
D. there was a deadly epidemic in the village

4. One explanation which the author gets about children choosing to remain barefoot is
A. they have no money
B. tradition
C. no matching pairs
D. like to wear only chappals
5. Garbage to the rag pickers is
A. Money
B. Daily bread, roof over their heads
C. Gold
D. Silver

6. Saheb did not like to work in the tea-stall because

A. he was getting only Z 800
B. he hated the steel canister
C. he was no longer his own master
D. he had to carry heavy bags now
7. Sunny-gold, paddy green, royal blue, pink, purple, every colour born out of the seven
colours of the rainbow. What is this a reference to?
A. Clothes
B. Birds
C. Bangles
D. Bindis

8. The sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of the law, the bureaucrats and
the politicians. Together these people
A. worked for the benefit or bangle makers
B. imposed the baggage on the child that he cannot put down
C. worked for the upliftment of women
D. abolished child labour

9. What bothers the author most about the bangle makers?

A. the stigma of poverty and caste
B. the affluence of the landlords
C. the behavior of the factory owners
D. the labour laws

10. ‘She has not enjoyed a full meal in her entire lifetime’. Who is ‘she’ in the given
sentence?
A. the elderly woman sitting close to Savita
B. Mukesh’s sister-in-law
C. Mukesh’s mother
D. Mukesh’s grandmother

Very short answer questions:

11. What did garbage mean to the children of Seemapuri and to their parents?
A. Garbage means ‘gold’ to the poor rag pickers because some of it can be sold for cash,
thus becoming a means of survival for the children of Seemapuri and for their parents. It is
providing them their daily bread and a roof over, their heads.
12. Describe the irony in Saheb’s name.
A. The full name of Saheb, the rag picker, is Saheb-e-Alam, which means ‘Lord of the
Universe’. As per his name, he should live like a king. The irony is that he is a barefoot
rag picker who lacks even the basic necessities.
13. In what sense is garbage gold to the rag pickers?
A. Garbage is gold to the rag pickers of Seemapuri because they can sell some of it for cash.
This in turn helps them buy food and sustain themselves. Moreover, it is also gold for them
because the rag pickers at times find stray coins and currency notes in it.

14. What was Mukesh’s dream?

A. Mukesh belongs to the family of bangle makers. He tells the writer to become a motor
mechanic. He will learn to drive a car and does not hesitate to go to the far off garage. He
has no desire to live and become the victim of poverty.

15. Does the rag picking mean the same thing for parents and children? Give reasons for
your answer.
A. No, rag picking is not the same for parents and children. For children it is wrapped in
wonders where as for parents it is the means of survival.

16. What does the writer mean when he says, ‘Saheb is no longer his own master’?
A. Saheb started working in a tea-stall where he is bound and burdened. He has to
follow the orders of his master and is not free as he was earlier. Hence, the writer says that
“Saheb is no longer his own master.”

17. In spite of despair and disease pervading the lives of the slum children, they are not
devoid of hope. How far do you agree?
A. I agree that the slum children are not devoid of hope as Saheb, a rag picker, is eager
to go to school and learn and Mukesh, who makes bangles, dreams of becoming a motor
mechanic.

18. What is Saheb looking for in the garbage?

A. In the garage dumps, Saheb looks for useful item which can be sold for cash. As these
items can be traded for money, they are just like gold for him.

19. Where is he and where has he come from?

A. Saheb and his family lie in Seemapuri slum on the periphery of Delhi. His family had
migrated from Bangladesh.

Short answer questions:

20. What does the title ‘Lost Spring’ conveys?
A. The title ‘Lost Spring’ conveys and picturize that childhood is like the spring. As everything
blooms in this season, in the same way the childhood should bloom but through the poverty
of Saheb and Mukesh, we come to know about their stolen childhood. It is being destroyed
and dumped in the web of poverty, dirt and dust.
21. What does Anees Jung want to reveal in her story ‘Lost Spring’?
A. Anees Jung has portrayed two stories in ‘Lost Spring’ and both depict the grinding poverty, pitiable
condition of life and the other traditions that condemn the children to a life of exploitation. For the rag-pickers
of Seemapuri, garbage is gold and means of survival. The bangle-makers of Firozabad live in dingy cells and
stinking lanes. Even after much toil, they do not get full meal.

22. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry?

A. The glass bangle industry has a very hazardous working environment. People work in the glass furnaces with
high temperature in dinghy cells without air and light. Most end up losing their eyesight even before they
become adults. Adding to their misery, they are caught up in the vicious circle of people who exploit them.

23. How is Mukesh different from the other bangle makers of Firozabad?
A. Mukesh had the courage to dream big in spite of all adversity, whereas his family members and the other
bangle makers of Firozabad had resigned to their fate, and had suppressed all their hopes and desires to
follow the ‘God-given lineage’ of bangle making.

24. Why does the author say that the bangle makers are caught in a vicious web?
A. The bangle makers in Firozabad are exploited at the hands of the Sahukars, middlemen, policemen, law
makers, bureaucrats and politicians. They toil day and night, but are not paid appropriate wages. Their children
are also compelled to join the same trade at an early stage.

25. What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come from?
A. Saheb is scrounging for anything in the garbage dump that he can sell and make money. This is the only
means of survival. He sometimes manages to find a rupee or even ten rupees. He now lives with his family in
Seemapuri, a slum on the outskirts of Delhi. His family has migrated from Bangladesh in search of a better life.

26. What makes the authoress embarrassed at having made a promise that was not meant?
A. On encountering with Saheb, the writer asks him to go to school. Immediately at the second thought, she
realizes that the advice must sound very hollow. On the other hand, Saheb replies that there is no school in his
neighborhood. And he will go if the authorities make one. The writer asks half-jokingly if she starts a school,
“will he go?” Saheb goes on asking her “Is your school ready?” She feels embarrassed at having made a
promise that was not meant.

27. Why was not Saheb happy on getting a job?

A. Saheb was not happy on getting a job in tea stall for a salary of Rs.800/- per month as he lost his freedom.
He had to carry the stall owner’s steel canister in place of his bag. He had lost his freedom and carefree look.
He was now no longer his own master.

28. What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities?
A. Most people, who have migrated from villages to cities, have done so because of the promise of a better
life. Some of them have not been able to earn any money from farming because of the unpredictable vagaries
of the weather. They have had no jobs and no way of earning a livelihood. Cities provide a ray of hope as
they are a means of escaping from abject poverty and offer hope of some employment. These people feel that
though they may have to live in the most abysmal conditions in the city, they will get at least some food to eat.

29. Why don’t the bangle makers of Firozabad organize themselves?

A. The bangle makers are trapped in the vicious circle of middlemen and police. If they organize a co-
operative, they will be hauled up, beaten and dragged to jail by the police for doing something illegal. There is
no leader to help them out from their misery. They are the victims of greed and injustice.

30. How is Mukesh’s attitude to his situation different from that of his family?
A. Mukesh wants to be a motor mechanic and drive a car. He wants to break away from the
generations-old family tradition of bangle making. His family is not as optimistic as he is, but he is
5/5
determined and exhibits a spark of courage and hope and dares to dream, even though it means walking
miles to get to the garage.

31. Why does the author say that the bangle-makers are caught in a vicious web?
A. The family of bangle makers was caught in the vicious web of poverty. They are forced to practice
their ancestral profession. They remain ill fed and ill clad throughout life. They have no money to switch
over their profession. Their hard work is mind-numbling. The police do not allow them to form co-operatives.

Long answer questions:

32. How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realize his dream?
A. Mukesh belongs to the family of bangle- makers who prepare colorful bangles like that of rainbow. But his
attitude to this situation is different from others. He is a daring boy and he announces, “I will be a motor
mechanic, I will learn to drive a car. Though the garage is a long way from his home yet he insists I will go to the
garage and learn.”

The determination and strong will of becoming a motor mechanic and learning to drive a car, seems to be as
firm as a rock in Mukesh. That is why he says he will walk to the garage which is a long way from his home.
Though his dream appears to be vague, unclear and like a mirage yet he has a different ambition to fulfil. He
can materialize his dream once he walks.

33. What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty?
A. The bangle makers firmly believe that having been born in the caste and community of bangle makers; they
cannot escape their fate and must remain where they are. They believe that bangle making is the only skill they
possess and that they must pass on the legacy to their children. Bangle making is not a lucrative source of
income but they have no alternative and hence remain entrenched in the same. They have fallen into the
vicious clutches of middlemen who had trapped their fathers and their forefathers. They are afraid to form
cooperatives to safeguard themselves because they feel that they will be beaten up by the police and jailed for
doing something illegal. Steeped in despair and apathy, they no longer have the will to aspire and better their
lot. Some of the industrialists conspire in unison with the sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen and the
politicians and then go on
exploiting them. They see very little hope of escaping from their impoverished life of misery and privation.

34. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry. / Describe the difficulties the
bangle makers of Firozabad have to face in their lives.
A. The glass blowing industry of Firozabad employs local families and these families have spent
generations working around furnaces, welding glass and making bangles of different colors. Working around
the high temperature furnaces is very injurious to our growing bodies. The dark dingy cells without light and
air worsen the working conditions of the children. The dazzling and sparking of welding light and the high
temperature render the situation hellish. About 20,000 children slog their day light hours and often lose the
brightness of their eyes before they become adults.

The bangle-makers lead their life in utter miseries and grinding poverty. They could never prosper working in
this industry. They hardly get a belly full of meal in their lifetime. Thus they are not only underfed but also
prone to ailments. The dingy cells and stinking smell of garbage choke their bodies. There are flames of
flickering oil lamps, the blinding polishing and the welding work put a deep impact on their bodies. Those
who work in bangle industries, lose their eyesight before they become adult.

35. Why should child labour be eliminated and how?

A. The child labour employed in any form is an offence. It is banned under law. Yet it goes on unabated at the
industrial towns like Firozabad, Shivakasi, and Mirzapur and so on.
6/5
The child labour is hazardous in nature. It inflicts physical and mental harm to the boys. The work in the glass
bangle industry often ends up them losing their eyesight before they become adults. The mind-numbling toil of
bangle-making kills all their initiatives, drive and ability to dream in life. They are even deprived of the school
education and proper growth.

According to the writer about 20,000 children are working in the glass bangle industry of Firozabad.
Some of the industrialists conspire in unison with the sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen and the
politicians and then go on stealing their childhood for some extra coins. The .only possible solution lies with the
government and the society to punish the wrong-doers very strictly and keep a careful watch and vigil over
them.

36. “For the children, it is wrapped in wonder, for the elders, it is a means of survival.” What kind of life
do the rag-pickers of Seemapuri lead? Answer in about 120-150 words.
[All India 2017] A. Seemapuri is a settlement of rag pickers. It is a place on the outskirts of Delhi. Those who
live here are squatters who came from Bangladesh in 1971. They live here without an identity and
permits. They do have ration cards that enable them to vote
and buy grain. Food is more important for them than their identity. Children grow up
to become partners in survival. And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years it has
acquired the ‘proportions of a fine art’. An army of barefoot children appears in the morning with their plastic
bags on their shoulders. They disappear by noon. Garbage has a different meaning for children. For them, it is
wrapped in `wonder’. They may find a rupee even a ten rupee note or a silver coin. There is always hope of
finding more. But Seemapuri is a hell. Rag pickers live in structures of mud. They have roofs of tin and
tarpaulin. There is no sewage, drainage or running water. It is unimaginable that it is a part of Delhi.

37. ‘Lost Spring’ explains the grinding poverty and traditions that condemn thousands of people to a lift of
abject poverty. Do you agree? Why/Why not?
A. ‘Lost Spring’ is indeed a description of the grinding poverty and traditions that
condemn thousands of people to a life of abject poverty.

Saheb, a young rag picker is doomed to live a miserable life of poverty. He wants to go to school and play
tennis. Due to poverty, he has to even give up his freedom and start working as a helper at a tea shop. Here he
is burdened with the commands of his employer and is forced to live a miserable life. Another such example is
that of Mukesh who belongs to a bangle makers family in Firozabad. He wants to be a motor mechanic.
But his family traditions and poverty have forced him to work in the inhumane conditions of a bangle
factory, in dark rooms and near hot furnaces.

Thus, the poor and destitute of both Seemapuri and Firozabad are caught in the web of poverty, servitude,
suppression and exploitation.

38. Justify the title of the story ‘Lost Spring’.

A. Childhood is considered the spring of human life. It is full of exuberance and playfulness. But the children
of rag pickers of Seemapuri and bangle makers of Firozabad are deprived of this period; their life. They
never enjoy the carefreeness of their childhood. They have to assist their poor parents in earning their living
since the very tender age.

In fact, the story brings out the reality of our society where poor children work as rag pickers and bangle
bakers in inhuman and hazardous conditions. The plight of these children highlights the apathy of the rich and
powerful people of the society who have no concern for them.

‘Lost Spring’ refers to those moments of childhood which are full of happiness, growth and carefree spirit and
which have been snatched from the children of Seemapuri and Firozabad. The title justifies the story
which makes an effort to sensitize the people towards these poor children. It emphasizes the need to save
7/5
the childhood of these poor children and provide them with their basic rights of a decent life and good
education.

Competency level questions:

39. Most of us do not raise our voice against injustice in our society. Anees Jung in her story, ‘Lost Spring’
vividly highlights the miserable life of street children and bangle makers of Firozabad. What values do we need
to inculcate among the people to bring back the spring in the lives of these children.
A. Anees Jung wants to uplift the cause of street children and bangle makers. Children living in Seemapuri do
not go to school as there is no school. They are barefooted and spend their days scrounging for something
wonderful in heaps of garbage. The children lead miserable lives, caught in the vicious circle of poverty in to
which they have fallen due to the middlemen, sahukars, and law enforcement officials.

Media can create awareness about the underprivileged. We need to garner support from youngsters and start
night schools for children like Saheb-e-Alam. There is hope when Anees Jung encounters youngsters like
Mukesh who dare to dream. More people need to come forward and create an environment in which these
children dare to dream.
40. “None of them knows that it is illegal for children like him to work in the glass furnaces with high
temperatures”. What can be done to improve a lot of poor children in India?
A. The problem of employment of children in hazardous conditions is prevalent in India. The
Government has taken measures to curb this malpractice. However, the implementation of the laws must be
stringent. The children must be provided with education. Moreover, the parents also have to be made aware of
the hazards and dangers their children face in such working in hazardous conditions.

Most of the children working in Firozabad lose their eyesight before they become adults. There is a vicious
cycle of poverty due to middlemen, sahukars and law enforcers. A situation must be created where the
children can exercise their right to education and their parents receive their dues.

8/5