(a) whether a large number of women and children are held as bonded labourers by the rice mills of Redhill areas of Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government has received the National Commission for Women’s report of public hearings on the subject;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the steps taken to secure/release and the rehabilitation of the victims?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI KANTI SINGH)
(a)&(b) Yes, Sir. Some complaints in this regard were
received by the Ministry of Labour and Employment during
August-September, 2004.
(c) Yes, Sir.
(d) the details of the recommendations made by the National
Commission for Women in its report are given in the
Annexure.
(e) As per the information received by the Ministry of
Labour and Employment from the Government of Tamil Nadu, 372
labourers were released from bondage from the district of
Thiruvallur including Tiruttani and Ponneri of Redhill area
from 1997 till 30th September, 2004 including 113 labourers
in the current year. The State Government has also been
supervising the functioning of all the ricemills in Redhill
area by enforcing Factories Act etc. to ensure payment of
minimum wages to the workers as well as ensuring that the
factory owners do not use debt as bondage.
Annexure referred to in the reply to part ‘d’ of the Lok
Sabha Unstarred Question No.3372 for 21.12.2004 regarding
“Report of NCW on Bonded Labourers in Tamil Naduâ€
Recommendations made by the National Commission for Women in
its report of Public Hearing on the condition of Bonded
Labourers in Rice Mills of Red Hills, Thruvallur, Tamil
Nadu.
1. Immediate release of bonded labour families who have
already filed complaints to the RDO and rehabilitation in a
fortnight. Identification and release of other bonded
labourers in the rice mills of red hills within two weeks.
Rehabilitation of these other labourers within two months.
2. Identification and release of bonded labourers in rice
mills throughout the State within two months. Rehabilitation
of all bonded labouters within the State in three months.
3. Prosecute the employers under provisions of Bonded
Labour Act, SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, Factories
Act and secure the arrears due and payable by the owners of
rice mills under Minimum
Wages Act along with the penalty as prescribed under the
Act.
4. Take strict action against district officials who have
failed to implement the Bonded Labour Act.
5. Rehabilitation of the bonded labour families through
provision of housing, milch animals and agricultural land
within two months.
6. To provide free and compulsory education of children
labourers of rice mill workers of Redhills.
7. Strict implementation of the provisions of Factories
Act, (i.e. 8 hour shift system, safety, prohibition of child
labour); The Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes Prevention
of Atrocities Act, Maternity Benefit Act, ESI and EPF Acts
and Minimum Wage Act.
8. Prosecute the employers and their henchmen who have
sexually harassed the women, beaten up the children and
adult workers. The mill owners who were responsible for the
unnatural death of Valli should be prosecuted under Bonded
Labour Act 19 of 1976, SC/ST Act and Minimum Wages Act, and
IPC. To file necessary complaint and investigate the same
relating to the worker named Balu and Mari.
9. Constitution of Vigilance Committees in Thiruvallur
District including District officials, Labour Department
officials representatives of Sarpam Irular Thozhilalar
Sangam and the bonded labourers in rice mills for monitoring
the implementation of the above as per the Bonded Labour
Act.