Labourers' ordeal ends

Rescued bonded labourers from Orissa taking shelter at the hostel in Nalgonda on Monday.



NALGONDA: The 156 bonded labourers -- 53 men and 51 women -- from Orissa who were rescued by the Nalgonda district administration will be sent back on Tuesday by train. They were being taken care of at the Social Welfare Boys Hostel here and were provided food and medical care.



RDO Padmakar, supervising the arrangements, told The Hindu that the labourers belong to Bolangir, Bargargh and Nuwunbada districts in Orissa. Ten children were taken to Kamineni Hospital at Narketpally for check-up, also to ascertain their age. This would facilitate filing of cases under the Child Labour Act against owners of two brick kilns at Anneparthi village -- Chand Pasha and Ramanaiah -- where the labourers were employed. The Labour Department initiated action against the two for violation of the Migration of Act and the Minimum Wages Act.



Meanwhile, some of the labourers alleged that they were assaulted with sticks by the goons of both Chand Pasha and Ramanaiah, besides the police. Udenath Sahu (30) who was hit on the chest, said he had suffered bleeding wounds.



Aksheye (17), Dilip (30), Suresh (50), Bheem (48), Sukru Sahu and Revati Sahu, wife of Dilip, were among those who were allegedly beaten up. While Sukru Sahu was unable to lift his right hand because of the pain, Revati said she suffered bruises on the left thigh and on her hands when she tried to intervene when her husband was being assaulted.



They alleged that the brick kiln owners did not honour the promises made to Orissa contractor/middleman of making payments and providing facilities while recruiting. When this was raised by them both resorted to abuse and attacks.



NGOs help



After suffering the ill-treatment three weeks ago, the labourers, aided by some NGOs, decided to complain. Chand Pasha and Ramanaiah also lodged counter-complaints, leading to expose in several local TV channels of the sordid happenings in the kilns.