MEDAK: Human and civil rights activists have rescued a group of 60 alleged bonded labour from a brick kiln in Medak district. The workers including women and children were shifted to temporary shelter at Old Boys Hostel in Yeldurthi here under police protection.
According to Tathagata Sengupta of Solidarity Committee for Brickkiln Workers' Union, the rescue efforts were initiated jointly by Brickkiln Workers' Union of Ranga Reddy district and Solidarity Committee for Brick-kiln Workers of Andhra Pradesh. Sengupta alleged that about 60 people were illegally engaged as bonded labour at a brick kiln near Koppulapally village of Yeldurthi mandal. He alleged that the workers were regularly beaten up by the management.
A fact-finding team visited the kiln on January 17. The team comprised human rights and civil liberties activists . The workers told the team about regular use of violence on them. They were brought to Koppulapally from Nuapada, Bargar, and Balangir in Odisha in October after payment of Rs 10,000 to 15,000 per worker.
"Once they reached the area, some of them were employed for harvesting crops on the owner's fields, and later in preparing the kiln. They are not supposed to do either of the works. Now they are employed in the brick-making work. Even the sick were not spared as a pregnant woman was made to work. Those who protested against such practices are attacked ," said Sengupta. He said the worst incidence of crude violence occurred five days ago when Muni Ram, one of the workers, was brutally beaten up and taken away by the management. The whereabouts of Muni Ram are not known. A number of children in the age group of 6 to 14 are also employed at the kiln.
Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/60-bonded-labour-rescued/articleshow/29085163.cms
