Bonded labour in Tamil Nadu: 24 Madhya Pradesh workers forced to toil, now back home

Betul: Twenty-four labourers from Betul and four from Harda districts in Madhya Pradesh, who were held as bonded labourers in Erode district, Tamil Nadu, have been rescued and safely returned home, the state government confirmed on Wednesday.

The release was made possible through coordinated efforts by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, the Betul district administration, and the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram.

All rescued workers arrived by train and were officially received at Betul railway station by Collector Narendra Kumar Suryavanshi and Superintendent of Police Virendra Jain.

Collector Suryavanshi assured the labourers that the administration had arranged for their safe return and said the Revenue, Police, and Labour departments would maintain regular contact to prevent future hardships. He directed the labour officer to assist the workers in obtaining the documentation required for financial aid.

Also Read| LPG supply in Northeast stable, IOC confirms enough cylinders for coming period

Buses were provided to transport the labourers from the station to their respective villages, and meals were arranged during the journey. The workers expressed gratitude to the state government and district administration for their prompt action.

According to official sources, the labourers had initially travelled to Erode for employment but were denied leave for the Holi festival and forced to work under bonded conditions. Following a report from Prakash Uike, a member of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, the Betul administration, in collaboration with police and revenue officials, acted swiftly to secure their release.

Also Read| CCTV captures chilling moment before gunman fires at NC President Farooq Abdullah

Read more at: https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/india/ctv-farooq-abdullah-attack-video-jammu-kamal-singh-jamwal-investigation-l62zhy0u

The government has announced that each rescued worker will receive financial assistance of ₹30,000 to support rehabilitation and rebuilding of their lives. Additional support and rehabilitation measures have also been promised by the district administration.

Of the 24 rescued labourers, four are residents of Harda district, while the remaining 20 hail from Betul’s Kabra, Borkund, Birpura, and Basinda villages in the Bhimpur block.

IANS