31 bonded workers rescued

Chennai:

Thirty-one bonded labourers were rescued from a rock quarry in Cheyyar revenue division in Tiruvanamalai by district authorities, according to Revenue Divisional Officer of Cheyyar revenue division in Thiruvanamalai district K Priya.

Acting on a complaint by International Justice Mission (IJM), Priya along with five revenue officials and five policemen conducted a rescue operation and rescued the bonded labourers, who belong to Irula community and are from Tozhupedu village in Kanchipuram district.  

The owner of the rock quarry Chandrasekar paid the victims approximately Rs 17 per person, per day which is below the Tamil Nadu Minimum Wage of Rs 136.02 per day, said Priya.

The labourers were made to work for more than 12 hours each day and the quarry owner also denied the workers freedom of movement and the freedom to work outside of the rock quarry.

Immediately following the rescue operation, the district authorities conducted an enquiry into the facility’s labour practices and found that 31 labourers were victims of forced labour practices.

The RDO then issued Release Certificates to 25 adults and 6 children, officially identifying them as bonded workers and entitling them to government rehabilitation fund

“We gave them an immediate relief of Rs 1,000 of the Rs 20,000 rehabilitation fund. The remaining will be paid to them once they reach Kanchipuram,” she added.