By: Rajini KG
August 17 2020
True: Children in India are being used to mine mica used in cosmetics.
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The Verdict True
Children with the age group of six to 14 years have started working as laborers in mica mining districts of Jharkhand and Bihar.
Claim ID 7847de6e
Children with the age group of six to 14 years have started working as laborers in mica mining districts of Jharkhand and Bihar. Artisanal miners in India produce mica, a shimmering, heat resistant mineral used in the cosmetic industry. Almost 60 percent of the world's production of mica originates in the two states of India that is Bihar and Jharkhand. In most of the mines, young children continue to work illegally and do not attend school. They spend the whole day shimmying into small human-made tunnels in embankments all around the area and are armed with ice picks, hammers, and baskets in search of mica. If a mine collapses while the laborers are inside, it could leave them injured, paralyzed, or dead. According to reports by Reuters, several people, including children, have died during mica mining. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights said it has observed that a section of children in the mica mining areas are deprived of opportunities and have started working as laborers to supplement their family income.