boiling water, required to extract the fibre from the cocoons, fell on her.

Muniratnamma was brutally scarred. She is still undergoing plastic surgery. Yet she has got no compensation from her employer.

"He initially gave her Rs 7,000 and paid some medical bills. That's all. We have filed a case against him in court and are asking for Rs 1 lakh as compensation. We are also asking him to pay the cost of the surgery. The case is still going on," says Saroja.

Other incidents include children who have lost their thumbs and other fingers on the twisting machines. Saroja cites the case of a young girl who had her scalp torn off when her hair got caught in a twisting machine.

There is emotional abuse as well. The stress and theterrible working conditions contribute towards the early onset of puberty in the young girls who work in these factories.

"Sexual abuse by factory owners, supervisors and, at times, even co-workers takes place. I have known a few cases where young girls have ended up as prostitutes in Magadi. They were ostracised by their families after they were abused by their supervisors," says Saroja.

Much of the problem of child labour in Magadi existed because of the government's complicity and complacency.

"The twisting machines were provided by the government earlier and the height of these machines were made to suit children. This made using child labour acceptable," says Rao.

In 1996, the World Bank gave Rs 850 crores for the development of sericulture in Karnataka. The issue on use of child labour in