High Court notice to Punjab, Haryana on plea against bonded labour
High Court notice to Punjab, Haryana on plea against bonded labour
The Punjab and Haryana High Court sought a response from the government of Punjab and the government of Haryana on a petition seeking criminal action as per law in cases of bonded labour. It also sought directions for rehabilitation of the rescued labourers.
A Delhi-based organisation National Campaign Committee for Eradication of Bonded Labour has filed a petition in the same through advocate Arjun Sheoran.
Nirmal Gorana, the convener of the organisation has sought directions for effective implementation of the law to stop the bonded labour system in the region and ensure disbursement of minimum wages to the labourers who are released.
“It is not merely enough to identify and release the bonded labourers, but it is even more important to rehabilitate them after the release. If the said rehabilitation is not done then the rescued bonded labourers would again be driven into the bonded labour system and would be subjected to exploitation due to poverty, helplessness and despair,” the plea reads.
A minimum of three cases registered in Punjab and Haryana since last year have been highlighted in the plea against the bonded labour in brick kilns. It also told the court that even though the district administrations are of assistance in rescue operations, they fail at their duty to rehabilitate the victims and in providing any interim protection to them.
“There has also been lack of criminal action against the contractors, business owners and other persons, who are liable to be prosecuted,” the plea said, adding there is no proper implementation of the law related to bonded labour in region.
-PTC News
