Call to abolish bonded labour in all sectors

[1]

Ms Kanniyammal and her son Parameshwaran worked as bonded labourers in a rice mill at Kodungallur, Tiruvannamalai district, for almost a decade till the Adivasi Solidarity Council (ASC) rescued them.

“I’ve four children, three of whom are married. My husband and I worked in the rice mill and he died five years ago. We were not allowed to go outside even to visit our children. We worked from 6 am to 11 pm and earned just Rs 50 a day,” said Ms Kanniyammal.

Parameshwaran, meanwhile, started working after his father’s death. “My son was just 12-year-old when he started doing labour work at the rice mill.

He used to carry heavy sacks throughout the day and hardly slept. He suffered for five long years and finally we were rescued. We are now happy,” said Ms Kanniyammal.

The mother and son were among 50 bonded labourers who were rescued recently and were present at the state-level meet of adivasis on Enforcement of the Bonded Labour System Abolition Act 1976 that was held in Chennai on Thursday.

Organised by the ASC and other NGOs, around 250 tribal representatives from across the state participated in the one-day meet where various NGOs demanded for proper enforcement of the Bonded Labour System Abolition Act 1976 in every sector.

Ms Nagamma, another bonded labourer who was rescued, said she earned just Rs 600 once in two months. “I worked in a rice mill in Mullikolathur in Tirukkalukunram Taluk with my husband and two children, who never went to a school.

They never let us go and we stayed in the mill for a decade,” said Ms Nagamma whose four-year-old son also had to suffer at the rice mill.

Ms K. Krishnan, executive director of ASC, said that they had rescued over 340 people in the last four years.

“We create a lot of awareness, rehabilitate bonded labourers and try to arrange alternate employment. They need support from their own communities,” he said.