This is one of the crucial stipulations of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) rules that are now notified by the State Government. The rules follow the Government's affidavit to the Supreme Court about the measures taken to check child labour.

All those units that employ children will now have to maintain an annual register, containing the particulars of the child worker. The employer will have to maintain it for at least 10 years from the time a child is appointed.

The Government has introduced three forms -- A, B and C. While form A gives details on the nature of work of the child and working hours, form B makes sure that the child has completed 14 years of age. Form C contains the medical history of the child.

The units that employ children will also have to maintain birth certificates of its minoremployees. The age of the child is to be certified by a Government medical officer and the charges to get it should be borne by the employer.

The rules also make it compulsory for an employer to maintain certain basic health and safety measures for its child workers. No child should be asked to work in the vicinity of toxic and hazardous substances or in places where he is exposed to intense heat. If a child works in a cotton pressing factory, he cannot be asked to work where a cotton opener is operated because this could prove fatal to a child's health.

An employer is required to provide child employees with protective clothing, headgear, mask, gloves and spectacles, if the nature of work demands them. A child's place of work is also to have adequate ventilation and lighting.

Though the Central Child Labour Act was under operation, employers have more often than not flouted it and have got way with it. But the Karnataka Child Labour Act, however, has penal clauses under which the violators of the Actcould be prosecuted.

The child labour inspectors will have to periodically inspect the premises of units where children work. Till the time they are satisfied that the registers and records needed are maintained, the rest hours, holidays and hours of work meant for child employees are complied with and the sanitation and cleanliness rules followed, an employer can be punished for default.