The Hindu : 26 families rescued from Bangalore quarry

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 19, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

26 families rescued from Bangalore quarry

By D. Sivarajan

Dharmapuri April 18. As many as 26 families comprising 77 persons, including 23 women and 27 children, from Dharmapuri and Salem districts, who were held in bondage in a quarry at Betalsur Post, Bangalore, were rescued and brought here today.

But how fast they would be rehabilitated to lead a free and dignified life remains a million dollar question.

The practice came to light in September last when workers, who were rescued from a quarry at Annawaram in Andhra Pradesh by the Centre of Association for Rural Education and Services, revealed about their relatives in bondage.

Since then, the CARE maintained a tab on the labourers there. A team led by Helen Chandra, executive secretary, CARE, rescued them.

Of the 26 families, 16 families comprising 20 men, 17 women and 24 children belong to Arakasanahalli near Pennagaram in Dharmapuri district, while the remaining seven families including six men, seven women and three children, belong to Tharamangalam in Salem.

The workers, lured by huge advances, moved to the quarry three years ago.

They were promised Rs. 360 a load. The job requires, on an average, takes two or three days by a couple, but were paid just Rs.150 per week.

Fraught with risks

There were instances of workers sustaining injuries in blasts conducted to break rocks.

Ironically, the rocks were blasted using workers' wages on the pretext only their workload was being reduced. Even children above 10 years were not spared from strenuous work.

Any demand for more wages only resulted in advances being sought with interest.

The workers were escorted by management members for weekly purchases. Any worker wishing to go to his or her village was required to leave behind his or her spouse as security.

Subramanian (32), who left along with his wife and two children, says "we moved to the quarry, which promised Rs.100-150 a day. But soon we realised that we were not going to receive the promised amount."

Agents and `mastries' play middlemen. Working for commission, they mislead the workers and the quarry owners. Even the advance provided by the owners does not reach the workers. Exploiting the ignorance of the workers, the agents threaten them, even beat them up or `imprison' the women until the advance amount is repaid.

The quarry owners, who look for cheap labour on a regular basis, also exploit the situation.

Ms. Helen Chandra, says "It is unfortunate that people are unaware of what bonded labour means for, they immediately visualise workers being kept chained and beaten up. Even curtailing their movement amounts to bonded labour.

The released workers are yet to be paid Rs. 1,000 as immediate relief.

A relief of Rs.20, 000 per individual has to be paid as part of a rehabilitation package by the district they belong to through the Department of Adi Dravidar Welfare.

But there were complaints of delay in effecting payments, forcing the labourers to return to the places where they were rescued from.

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