Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Scourge of Bonded Labour
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
○
were sent to the native States. No definite information about their rehabilitation at those ends
could be furnished.
9.20 Five bonded labourers were identified and released in the period under review. Four of
them were migrants belonging to Tamil Nadu. All the five were given the minimum interim
relief of Rs. 1000 each. The perusal of records shows that the Release Certificates in respect of
migrant labourers sent to Tamil Nadu were in Marathi making it difficult for the DMs concerned
to take up their rehabilitation. The Labour Commissioner was requested to arrange to send
English translations with full details
9.21 The Government of Maharashtra received (funds to the tune of Rs. 24 lakh) from the
Union Labour Ministry, for carrying out the Bonded Labour Survey in 12 districts. The grant
released by the Labour Ministry in October, 2003 could not be utilized in 2003-04. The sanction
was got revalidated in September, 2004. The earlier idea of entrusting the survey to the Maharashtra
Institute of Labour Studies was dropped and the DCs were instructed to conduct the survey
using Government staff and Panchayati Raj Institutions. Results could not be furnished during
the period of report.
9.22 The Maharashtra Government has not availed of a grant of Rs. 10 lakh offered by the
Union Labour Ministry for the purpose of awareness generation. No information has been
furnished on prosecution.
Punjab
9.23 Vigilance Committees have been constituted in all the 17 District and 67 Sub-Divisional
HQs. There has been no detection of bonded labour in Punjab after the last review made on 09-
03-2004. There has been no progress about the pending rehabilitation of 141 bonded labourers
either. The review revealed that 142 and not 141 bonded labourers were identified in Punjab
during the period of 1999-2004. Only in one case involving identification of 4 bonded labourers
in Ferozepur in 2000, the State share of Rs. 10,000 each was paid. In another case involving
identification of 108 bonded labourers (65 of Jalandhar in 1999, 42 of Kapurthala in 2001, and
one of Ferozepur in 2004), the Central share of Rs. 10,000 each has been received but is lying
undisbursed with the Government. The State has not sanctioned the matching grant of Rs. 10,000
each, nor has it released the amount received from the Government of India for the rehabilitation
of the released bonded labourers. In the remaining 30 cases relating to 2001, the details of
bonded labourers are not available as the identified labourers are reported to have left for their
native places without the knowledge of the district administration. The Commission has noted
with concern the casualness, if not callousness of the Administration to the issue of rehabilitation.
9.24 The State Government has obtained a grant of Rs. 10 lakh from the Union Labour Ministry
for the survey of Bonded Labour in five districts, namely Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala
and Bhatinda. The survey was conducted by two reputed agencies, namely Centre for Research
138
National Human Rights Commission Annual Report - 2004-2005
AR-Chapter-1-19-10-6-06.p65
158
7/17/06, 6:30 PM