HC orders rehab for over 1500 bonded labourers
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| Baghambar Pattnaik & Manoj Jena in Press Meet |
The fight to abolish the obnoxious practice of "bonded labour" in Odisha has received a boost. The Orissa high court recently directed the collectors of Puri, Khurda, Cuttack
The January 18 order followed a petition by human rights activist Baghambar Pattnaik in April 2011. The petitioner had alleged that the administration of the four districts had neglected to implement a 2008 National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) order to abolish the bonded labour system.
Pattnaik said the "landmark judgment" would herald a much-needed social change in Odisha and other states vulnerable to the caste-based practice. "I have sent copies of the judgment to the district collectors. Let us hope that they would now swing into action and start the rehabilitation process soon," said Pattnaik, who has been waging a decade-long battle for ending the practice a decade ago. The state has around five lakh bonded labourers, he added.
"We have addressed the issue of bonded labour several times in the past. We would abide by the high court order and soon start the identification process of the bonded labourers," a Puri district official said.
In December 2011, the Puri district administration had distributed "release certificates" to 17 men from the barber caste in Bramhagiri area following an NHRC directive. The 17 men were bound by the local practice of Bartan. It mandated the men to wash the feet of guests during social functions in villages in lieu of about 15 kg of paddy per annum.
As per the law, each person was given Rs 1,000, along with the certificate and Rs 19,000 later by the government for their rehabilitation. However, Pattnaik alleged that some of those "released" men were still being treated as bonded labourers by upper caste villagers.
Pattanaik added: "As many as 2,88,098 debt-bonded labourers in the country were identified, released and rehabilitated by March 31, 2009. The highest was in Tamilnadu (65,573), followed by Karnataka (63,437 identified, 57,185 rehabilitated) and Odisha (50,029 identified, 46,901 rehabilitated)."
Pattnaik said the "landmark judgment" would herald a much-needed social change in Odisha and other states vulnerable to the caste-based practice. "I have sent copies of the judgment to the district collectors. Let us hope that they would now swing into action and start the rehabilitation process soon," said Pattnaik, who has been waging a decade-long battle for ending the practice a decade ago. The state has around five lakh bonded labourers, he added.
"We have addressed the issue of bonded labour several times in the past. We would abide by the high court order and soon start the identification process of the bonded labourers," a Puri district official said.
In December 2011, the Puri district administration had distributed "release certificates" to 17 men from the barber caste in Bramhagiri area following an NHRC directive. The 17 men were bound by the local practice of Bartan. It mandated the men to wash the feet of guests during social functions in villages in lieu of about 15 kg of paddy per annum.
As per the law, each person was given Rs 1,000, along with the certificate and Rs 19,000 later by the government for their rehabilitation. However, Pattnaik alleged that some of those "released" men were still being treated as bonded labourers by upper caste villagers.
Pattanaik added: "As many as 2,88,098 debt-bonded labourers in the country were identified, released and rehabilitated by March 31, 2009. The highest was in Tamilnadu (65,573), followed by Karnataka (63,437 identified, 57,185 rehabilitated) and Odisha (50,029 identified, 46,901 rehabilitated)."
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