The district administration rescued 155 migrant bonded labourers, including women and children, from a brick kiln in Tiruvallur on Wednesday.
G.R. Divyashree, the Tiruvallur Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), received information on Wednesday about a group of bonded labourers from Chhattisgarh and Odisha at a brick kiln in Pandeswaran in Avadi taluk.
The RDO and her team, along with International Justice Mission (IJM) members, went to the brick kiln and rescued 155 labourers. Of them, 31 were children, 63 women and 61 men. “Some of the children were admitted to schools and a few were not,” said Ms. Divyashree.
According to her, each labourer was being paid only ₹200 per week. “This is very less, and the basic requirements cannot be met with such meagre wages,” said an official.
One of the labourers rescued is Lochan, 25, from Chattisgarh. Speaking to The Hindu, he said he came to the kiln a few weeks ago along with his wife Sushantha and three children. “I was brought here by an agent. I thought I could earn good money and go back to my village. I was planning to admit my three children in school after that,” he said.
However, he was shocked when he started work. “I was paid ₹20 for carrying 1,000 bricks per day. If I fell sick, I was not paid. I realised I made a mistake as I could have earned this meagre amount in my hometown itself,” he said.
Probe held
The labourers were transported to a nearby marriage hall. A detailed inquiry was conducted by the RDO and officials from her department. The RDO is making arrangements to send the labourers to their hometowns by train.
The labourers told the RDO that they were beaten up by a supervisor, also from Orissa, who is absconding.
The RDO has filed a complaint with the police.
Earlier this month, the Released Bonded Labourers Association (RBLA) rescued 10 bonded labourers from Tiruvannamalai. The RBLA was formed by rescued bonded labourers from Tamil Nadu. The association is functioning in Tiruvannamalai, Kancheepuram, Vellore and Tiruvallur and they have a vision to expand it to other districts.
