Article Source: Deccan Herald

Date of Issue: March 7, 2007

Title of The Article: 45 labourers 'walk to freedom'
 
Their faces wore the anguish of a life bonded in labour, poverty and helplessness.

Forty-five 'bonded labourers', including nine children and eight women, were rescued from 'MBD', a brick kiln, in Hosudya village of Chikkaballapur taluk, Kolar district, 60 km from here, on Tuesday afternoon.

The joint operation was conducted by the labour department, revenue department, the police, Samatha Sainik Dal and voluntary organisations - Association for Positive Action (Apsa), South Indian cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (Sichrem), under the supervision of Deputy Labour Commissioner, Region - 11, Bangalore, Vasantkumar Hittanagi, and Chikkaballapur assistant commissioner Vipul Bansal.
 

Migrants from three villages of Orissa - Barapudugia, Ambapali of Bolangir Block and Brahmanipali of Puintala Block - they were brought to Bangalore by Kala Kanhu, a labour contractor reportedly hired by Chennappa Gowda, the factory owner. "Kala had taken Rs 10,000 from Chennappa for bringing labourers from Orissa. This amount was gradually deducted from their monthly wages. So far, he has recovered Rs 4,000 from them," said Apsa Executive Director P Lakshapathy.

The labourers told Deccan Herald Kala had cheated them. "He told us he would get us work in Bangalore for a monthly income of Rs 12,000, housing and food. When we came here, the seth (Chennappa) made us work from 6 am to 10 pm with just two short breaks in between for food. He paid Rs 40 for making 1,000 bricks and Rs 200 for eight days' work. We were not allowed to step out of the factory," said 45-year-old Karu, a labourer.

"We used to get up at 4 am to cook. Most of us have not had a proper bath in the last four months as water from the borewell was used only for making bricks. The seth used to beat us if we spent more time for eating. Sometimes, he would hit us with hot iron rods," said Tarachand.

"Our children also worked at the kiln. When we fell sick, the seth used to get angry. He never took us to a hospital nor gave us any medicine," said Nalita, a woman labourer.

Recently, one of their colleagues, Tanka Nag, died, due to high fever. "The seth didn't allow his family to take back the body to Orissa; he got it buried in the nearby fields. He later asked his wife to pay him Rs 13,000 for using water, electricity and firewood. They had to borrow money from someone in their village in Orissa to pay the seth," said Laxman, a labourer.

Meanwhile, the rescued labourers were taken to the Government Hospital in Chikkaballapur to verify the children's age. "Four out of the nine are below 14 years. The other five are below 18 years," said Lakshapathy. They were later sent to the Apsa shelter, from where they would be sent back to their villages with the help of the district administration and NGOs of that state.

Mr Hittanagi said the department will file cases against Chennappa for violating the Minimum Wages Act, Inter-State Migrant Workers' Act and Child Labour Act. He is said to be absconding. "As per the Supreme Court directions, a case will also be registered against him for recovery of Rs 20,000 per child for employing children in hazardous industry," said Sichrem executive director Mathew Phillip.