Thousands of bonded labourers continue to work hard with no job security and minimum pay for livelihood, though the country abolished this practice 39 years ago on this day.
Often, lackadaisical approach of the officialdom towards this inhuman practice is blamed for failure of abolishing it.
The abolition of bonded labour system in the country came into effect on October 25, 1975. Following the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, many have been freed from bondage and some of them have got compensation. However, in many places people continue to work for peanuts or loans borrowed earlier.
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As many as 10,446 applications seeking release from bondage have been pending before Deputy Commissioners across the State. Around 980 applications are pending in Hassan alone.
“The officers have been sitting over these applications,” said Kiran Kamal Prasad, State coordinator of Jeeta Vimukta Karnataka (Jivika), a non-government organisation working for the release of bonded labourers.
Mr. Prasad said his organisation conducted a study between 2011 and 2013 and found 7,646 bonded labourers in the State.
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In the last one year, the organisation has found 2,800 more.
“Except in cases pertaining to those in H.D. Kote and Chickballapur, the officers have not acted upon the rest of the cases. It is the duty of the Revenue Department officers to hold inquiry and release them from bondage. The State government has been conducting training programmes for officers on identifying bonded labourers and releasing them,” he said.
ReportLast year, The Hindu carried a report on bonded labour system in Ragimaroor village in Arkalgud taluk.
Many people had been working for years to clear the loans borrowed from landlords. Similarly, another group of people working in a quarry at Shivayyanakoplu in Hassan taluk as bonded labourers had also come to light. “Our organisation has been working for the release of these workers. The Hassan Deputy Commissioner had asked Sakleshpur Assistant Commissioner to submit a report on bonded labour system at Ragimaroor. But no action has been taken,” said Mr. Prasad.
No compensationOn the other hand, those who were released from bondage have not been provided with compensation.
Eight people of Sidigalale village in Sakleshpur taluk were among the labourers who were to be freed soon after the practice was abolished in 1975. They were granted land as compensation.
“Decades after they were released from bondage, they have not got compensation. They are still fighting for the same,” said K. Byrappa, Hassan coordinator for Jivika.