The unit has been mired in controversy since December, when its workers went on strike demanding better wages and facilities. Though the Labour department declared the strike illegal, workers refused to return; the management, on its part, refused to reinstate 40 workers it dismissed late last year.

The stand-off led the management to bring in workers from outside. Agitating workers alleged that they included children, who cannot be employed in hazardous units under the Child Labour Act.

The July 21 inspection was triggered by a complaint by Shishu Milap, an NGO working to eradicate child labour. Factory inspectors K B Parekh and Vijay Patel led a team, which found five workers who appeared to be under-age.

Talking to Express Newsline, HCI proprietor Manubhai Patel said though the company had been given 10 days to explain, none of the five workers were less than 18 years of age. ``We'll submit their school-leaving certificates to prove they are above the legal age'', he added.

The Vadodara Kamdar Union, which is fighting the workers' case, alleged that the management had deliberately kept the new workers out of sight. ``They include children, for whom spending more than eight hours in the company premises could be hazardous'', alleged Ramkailash Saroj and Parasnath Saroj.

Patel, however, claimed that his new workers were not allowed to go out as the agitating workers had laid a siege on the company and could attack their replacements.

Shishu Milap's Shobhaben Shah is scheduled to take up the issue at a meeting of child labour commissioners and factory inspectors at Ahmedabad's Gandhi Labour Institute on Tuesday. Polomiben Mistri and Nilaben Patel of Gantar, another NGO, met Factory Inspector K B Parekh in this connection on Monday.