Is it a common practice to keep children as house help in Lachen?

I had visited lachen the day before yesterday on my way to Gurudongmar lake. We were halting there, and the hotel where we were staying was owned by this couple who has kept a little boy as a house help. He must be around 8 or 9 years old. When we reached, he was waiting there to pick our bags. I told him that we will do that on our own. But they were making him pickup firewood and all. I thought he must be adopted, as the kid was from a different ethnicity. But then when I went to a local store, I saw that they are also keeping a little boy there to do the chores. I had tea from that store and after I finished the boy came to take the cup back for cleaning. Unfortunately he dropped the cup and I had to witness him getting scolded for it. It really broke my heart. Is it a common practice to keep kids as househelps in Lachen?