NHRC to hold single hearing for 86 cases of brick kiln bonded labour in Haryana on July 9
New Delhi, July 7
National Human Rights Commission Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian will preside over an online hearing on July 9 to address 86 cases of alleged bonded labour in brick kilns across Haryana, an official said on Tuesday.
The Commission has directed the State Chief Secretary or his nominee, Labour Commissioner, along with all District Magistrates (DMs) concerned, to be present during the online hearing, the official said in a statement.
"The authorities are expected to present detailed reports on the actions taken, including the identification and release of bonded labourers as well as their registration on the e-Shram portal, a central platform for unorganised workers," the NHRC said.
The hearing will focus on the assessment of the action taken by the DMs on the complaints sent to them by the NHRC, along with the status of compliance with the provisions of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, and the orders of the Supreme Court in the Bandhua Mukti Morcha and Asiad Workers' cases, among other related issues.
The Commission will also review the status of rehabilitation packages, including financial aid, skill training and alternate livelihoods, the progress of e-Shram portal registrations to secure social security benefits for rescued labourers and the measures taken to prevent recurrence in the identified districts, the statement said.
The virtual hearing underscores the NHRC's commitment to eradicating bonded labour and ensuring strict compliance with the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976.
The Supreme Court had assigned the monitoring compliance of this Act and court orders to the NHRC on May 11, 1997.
Earlier in April, the NHRC held an online hearing of 216 cases of alleged bonded labour in the brick kilns across various districts of Uttar Pradesh.
The virtual hearing was presided over by Justice Ramasubramanian.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is such a deep-rooted issue. My family's from Haryana and I've seen how brick kiln workers are treated. The Bonded Labour Act has been there since 1976 but implementation is poor. Hope this online hearing leads to actual relief for the workers 🙏
Am
Amanda J
I'm an Indian living in the US and this makes me sad. We talk about India's progress but bonded labour still exists in 2024? The Supreme Court monitoring since 1997 shows how slow the system moves. Hope this time something concrete happens.
Let's be honest - NHRC hearings are good but real change happens when labourers know their rights. Many brick kiln workers are migrants from UP/Bihar who don't speak local languages. Need more awareness camps along with these hearings.
Single hearing for 86 cases? That seems like putting quantity over quality. Each case needs individual attention because circumstances differ. But appreciate that NHRC is at least looking into it. Hope the rehabilitation packages include real skill training not just token courses.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.