The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Court sets at liberty bonded labourers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Court sets at liberty bonded labourers

Special Correspondent

SENSE OF RELIEF: Bonded labourers rescued from Karnataka being produced before the Madras High Court on Tuesday. — Photo: R. Ragu

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday set at liberty a group of bonded labourers working in a quarry in Karnataka.

A Division Bench, comprising Justices M. Jeyapaul and P.R. Shivakumar, directed the police to take criminal action as per law. It also directed the Salem Collector to conduct an enquiry and rehabilitate the labourers as per the scheme enunciated under the Bonded Labour Abolition Act.

Following a habeas corpus petition by Lakshmi of Periyarpatti village at Dharamangalam in Salem district, the Bench had earlier directed the police to produce the labourers in the court. It had appointed advocate P.V. Bakthavatchalam as advocate-commissioner.

The petition

In her petition, Lakshmi submitted that Palanichamy of Sikkanampatti, Omalur and two others, Sundarraj and Sundaram, approached her husband in 2004 and promised them a job in Karnataka.

They were told they would be paid an advance and a good monthly salary along with accommodation.

Believing their words, she, her husband, children and relatives accompanied Palanichamy and the other two to Bidadi, Karnataka. There they were asked to work in a quarry. The work was from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with an hour's lunch break. They were confined to thatched huts at the site and not allowed to leave the place. Sunday was the only holiday. They were paid Rs. 1,500 for a family of five per month. The quarry owners frequently threatened them.

On the pretext of going to a medical shop, she along with fellow worker Saroja escaped from the quarry.

A total of 19 persons were produced before the court on Tuesday.

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