Vellore Institute of Development Studies (VIDS) has appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to conduct a fresh survey of bonded labourers in the State in the light of the recent incidents of rescue of bonded labourers in different parts of the State.
The memorandum was sent to Mr. P. Mohan, Minister for Rural Industries and Labour, P. Jegadish Gandhi, Director of VIDS.
Highlighting points of the memorandum:
- It is disheartening to note that 864 bonded labourers including 52 children and 420 women have been freed from various flour mills, brick kilns, farm sector, stone quarries and others units in nine districts, i.e., Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tirupur, Erode, Tirunelveli, Namakkal and Vellore between July 2010 and June 2014.
- This is a grave situation when the government has to make efforts to eliminate bonded labour system, open and hidden bonded labour and child labour in hazardous and non-hazardous industries and petty trades have been identified regularly.
- The government should make a re-survey of bonded labourers in Tamil Nadu with the help of proactive NGOs in each district.
- As per records, 44 per cent of rescued bonded labourers are from North India. They work in construction and hotel industries, petty trades and even in illegal activities.
- The district administration has to keep a master registry of migrant labourers with all details to avoid scourge of slavery.
- All migrant labourers in Tamil Nadu should be instructed to make periodical reporting to the Collectorate/taluk office in their respective districts of residence.
- Though the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976 provided for a cash relief of Rs. 20,000 to the rescued bonded labourers, the North Indian bonded labourers were given only Rs. 1000 and sent back to their native places..
- Though the State government sanctioned Rs. 1.78 crore for rehabilitation of bonded labourers, the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department had spent only Rs. 38.19 lakh in the last four years.
- A social audit of bonded labour in the State should be conducted immediately in the light of the delay in rehabilitation and non-utilisation of funds.
- A separate bonded labour wing should be established in the Labour Department to coordinate the active programmes of the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, and revenue and police officials in each district.
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