The record
Written from the 1 report below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- Twenty-six bonded labourers, including seven children, were rescued on July 21 from sugarcane fields near Tiruchengode in Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu, after a tribal welfare organisation, Aadipoomi Trust, alerted revenue officials.
- The workers, all from Irular tribal families across nine families in Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvannamalai districts, had taken loans of Rs 5,000 to Rs 40,000 from an agent and were then made to work from morning to evening without wages, receiving only about Rs 200 a week as an advance.
- The 19 adults have been issued bonded labour release certificates, police have registered a case against the agent, and arrangements are being made for pending wages and rehabilitation.
- The report notes that such debt bondage for small loans remains common in Tamil Nadu's farms and brick kilns, and the state labour minister did not respond to requests for comment.
What to watch next
- Progress of the police case against the agent Kumar of Panruti.
- Payment of pending wages and rehabilitation support to the rescued families in their home districts.
- Response from the Tamil Nadu labour department on steps to identify and free others held in similar bondage.
Coverage1
1 report
Indian-language1
All filed from India
Named India · Ayyammal · Kanniyappan · Sangeetha · Adhipoori Foundation · Government of Tamil Nadu · Jagadheesvaran · Kumar · Lenin · Namakkal · Namakkal District Revenue Department · Rani · Sanmugam
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