NHRC India hears online 86 cases of alleged bonded labour in Haryana brick kilns
New Delhi, July 10
The National Human Rights Commission, India, heard 86 cases online of alleged bonded labour in brick kilns across various districts of Haryana.
According to a press release, Chairperson, Justice V Ramasubramanian, presided over the hearing in the presence of Joint Secretary, Samir Kumar, Joint Registrar (Law), Indrajeet Kumar and other senior officers. The hearing was attended by senior functionaries of the state government, including the Chief Secretary, Anurag Rastogi, Labour Commissioner, Vijaykumar Bhavikatti, and the District Magistrates (DMs) of all the districts.
Justice Ramasubramanian said that in most of the cases, the records had not been properly examined by the concerned government functionaries. Therefore, they did not have credible evidence to declare the labourers as bonded labourers.
As per the release, he urged the officers to remain vigilant while dealing with cases of bonded labour. He further asked them to follow the requirements laid down in the Standard Operating Procedure for Identification and Rescue of Bonded Labourers and Prosecution of Offenders, issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment vide letter dated May 14, while constituting the team for the enquiry into the complaint.
He also emphasised the need to launch a helpline so that labourers can seek help when needed to help track the incidents of bonded labour.
As per the release, Samir Kumar, Joint Secretary, NHRC, highlighted the need to comply with the NHRC directions and take action as per its 'Advisory 2.0 to Identify, Release and Rehabilitate Bonded Labourers.'
The Haryana Chief Secretary, the Labour Commissioner and the DMs presented the bonded labour cases during the hearing. The Commission reviewed the Action Taken Reports (ATRs) submitted by the DMs on the complaints under its consideration.
The Chief Secretary and the Labour Commissioner assured the Commission that all the 86 cases would be reviewed and the requisite information and reports would be submitted thereafter.
They also assured the Commission that full compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court and the applicable laws would be ensured to facilitate immediate remedial action in cases relating to bonded labour.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Justice Ramasubramanian said records weren't properly examined - that's the heart of the problem! Our bureaucracy is so busy with paperwork that actual lives get lost. The SOP from Ministry of Labour is great on paper, but ground reality is different. Hope the Chief Secretary and DMs actually follow through this time. 🤞
In 2024, we're still discussing bonded labour? This is a human rights crisis that should have been resolved decades ago. The fact that these workers are mostly from marginalized communities makes it even more shameful. Haryana government needs to do more than just 'assure' - we need concrete rehabilitation plans.
Online hearing is efficient, but bonded labourers can't access courts or helplines from remote villages. Why not set up mobile vans or camps near brick kilns? Also, brick kiln owners should be held accountable - they're the ones perpetuating this system. Fine them heavily and blacklist them from government contracts.
Yaar, the problem is deeper than just records. Many bonded labourers are inter-state migrants who don't speak Hindi or Haryanvi. They're totally dependent on middlemen. The NHRC 'Advisory 2.0' talks about identification but who's doing the actual rescue? Need coordinated action between Haryana and source states like Bihar and UP.
Interesting that the NHRC Chairperson had to point out procedural deficiencies. The Supreme Court has clear directions on bonded labour since 2019. Why are DMs not following them? Helpline is a simple solution but everyone knows about it for
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