COIMBATORE: The Tirupur People's Forum, a coalition of voluntary organisations operating in Tirupur and Coimbatore, has come out with a study carried out on the living conditions of migrant workers in the garment, textile and powerloom industries in the Tirupur and Coimbatore regions.

Forced labour

These industries employed girls, usually between 14 and 18 years, under the `Sumangali,' hostel and camp labour schemes, which amounted to forced labour, members of the forum told press persons here recently.

Violation of rights

Terming it as violation of human rights, the forum stressed that the employers were exploiting the poverty and ignorance of the girls from the Southern districts such as Theni and Ramanathapuram.

No freedom

The results of the survey showed that these workers were not paid according to the existing standards, were not eligible to Provident Fund and Employees State Insurance, did not have the freedom to leave the premises of the workplace and were allowed to visit their families only once in a year.

Garment stitching

The survey covered 1,072 companies in Tirupur and Coimbatore regions in which, 32,545 women were employed under the hostel scheme in 191 export and supply chain companies engaged in garment stitching.

Export companies

Under the `Sumangali scheme,' 8,890 women were employed in 25 garment export companies.

Night shifts

The girls were made to work over time and night shifts were compulsory. These kind of working condition often led to the lack of sleep, mental and physical fatigue, health problems and malnutrition, Aloysius.A, Covenor of the Forum, said.

Compensation

The forum appealed to the buyers and international garment retailers to initiate a dialogue with the exporters to ensure that the camp labour system was removed and the workers given due compensation.

Suppliers

The exporters and suppliers should also ascertain this, Mr.Aloysius said.

Trade unions

The forum also appealed to the Central and State Governments to appoint a panel on abolition of camp labour system in the garment industry, by involving experts, members of voluntary organisations and trade unions.

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