Nine bonded labourers, including three children, were rescued from a brick kiln in Kaarai village near Ranipet on Tuesday.
Based on information from a villager that nine persons were kept as bonded labourers in the brick kiln, a team from the International Justice Mission (IJM), a NGO, informed the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), Ranipet, who visited the brick kiln.
The labourers were from Melnethapakkam village near Kalavai, said Mekala, spokesperson of IJM. The children were stopped from going to school and engaged in work at the brick kiln, she said.
“We had no time to sit or rest. We had to work for 12 hours a day and were beaten up if we did not work,” said 50-year-old Ganesan, who was freed from the chains of bonded labour reportedly after 12 years.
“Every day, we had to work from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. We had to cook our meals. We used to take meals at 10 a.m. and were not allowed to sit for a while. The owner of the brick kiln paid Rs. 100 to Rs. 150 for a family a day. Some days, we did not get our wages. We were forced to work even when we were ill,” Ganesan said. They were staying in a thatched house inside the brick kiln.
The RDO took measures to issue release certificates to the rescued labourers. Gladys Finney, senior after care manager, IJM, said the rescued persons would be covered under the NGO’s after care programme for two years. “This is a rehabilitation programme in which we provide them training in various aspects such as life skills, legal rights and savings. We tell them about job opportunities. Those who are willing are given a full medical screening,” she said.
