The Madras High Court has said a letter of the Adi-Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department of January this year be implemented for all rescued bonded labourers..
The First Bench comprising the Chief Justice S.K. Kaul and Justice M.M. Sundresh passed the order on a PIL by Roseann Rajan, an advocate. The petitioner prayed for issue of family cards to rescued bonded labourers.
The authorities said 85 to 90 per cent of rescued bonded labourers had already been issued family cards. Those who were left out did not reside in the locality.
The petitioner’s counsel expressed satisfaction with the authorities’ measures.
But what caused concern was the manner of implementation of a letter of the Adi-Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department of January 8. As it had been issued recently, it was non-applicable to cases of bonded labourers detected prior to the date of issue.
These caused difficulties as often identity proof sought for by the authorities were not available with bonded labourers. A measure suggested in the letter to enable released bonded labourers to have access to rehabilitative benefits was that a copy of the `Release Certificate’ be considered as identity proof.
Disposing of the petition, the Bench said the scheme would apply to all bonded labourers detected prior to or after the date of the letter.
The petitioner prayed for issue of family cards to rescued bonded labourers
