More than 80,000 children in the age group of 9-18 years work in cottonseed farms of Gujarat and most of them are from the tribal areas of Rajasthan. The children are recruited through middlemen and are forced to stay on in farms -- many of which are run by MNCs -- for two to three months. The extent of child labour engaged in cottonseed production has been increasing over the years. According to a latest research study, the estimated number of child labour went up from 2 lakh in 2003-04 to 2.26 lakh in 2006-07. The labour migration for cottonseed work starts in early July. The labour movement is through jeeps in the night between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. Ashok Khandelwal, a social activist with Dakshin Rajasthan Mazdoor Union (DRMU), who led a study on child labour in cottonseed production in Gujarat, says that farmers use child labour for cross-pollination work. The estimated number of child labour is about 83,330, which is one-third of the total labour force in seed farms. The employers ensure cheap tribal labour supply by paying a small amount of advance channelled thorough local contractors. Because of the low wage rates, adult males do not prefer this work. Over the years, many vested interests such as big contractors have emerged as suppliers of child labour. The labourers work in two shifts. The working hours are long and range from nine to 12 hours depending upon the quantum of work. The living conditions are bad, abuses are common and so is sickness. The workers cook in the open, girls and boys share common places in many cases. There is no toilet facility for girls. At many places, even drinking water facility is not available. The study, "Child labour in cottonseed production: A case study of cottonseed farms in north Gujarat', carried out by Mr. Khandelwal along with Sudhir Katiyar and Madan Vaishnav, says that except for two (4.8 per cent) all the farmers in cottonseed production in north Gujarat were found using child labour. A little over 40 per cent of the workforce comprised girls and women. Shantha Sinha, Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, released the study last month in Delhi.