The Hindu Business Line : HC directs Collector, police to release bonded labourer

MADURAI: The Madras High Court on Saturday directed the Virudhnagar District collector and Superintendent of Police to form a special team to secure the release of four members of a family, who were working as “bonded labourers under very poor conditions ” in a fire works factory in Maharashtra.

Justices Elipe Dharmarao and M Venugopal of the Madurai Bench, admitting a Habeas Corpus petition filed by Karuppasamy of Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu that his wife, sons Arunpandi (14), Dinakaran (6) and his new born child should be produced in t he court within two weeks.

The petitioner submitted that his family members were taken to work in 'Sagar Fire Works' in Managalavada taluk in Jolapur district of Maharashtra on the promise they would be given eight hours work and a place to stay.

He was also given Rs 37,000 as advance by the contractor, Ponpandy, who engaged him for the work. After reaching the work place, he realised that the factory was in a jungle.

Ponpandy had asked his family members to work for 16 hours on all days, he submitted. The petitioner said the factory management had not given him any account regarding deduction made in the salary since he joined the work in January and was given only R s 350 a week for each of the three family members.

They were relieved for some hours on Mondays for buying basic minimum things. There was no water in their small asbestos shed and had to walk several kilometres to bring water.

The Medical facility was so poor that his daughter died due to suffocation by the smell of the chemicals in the factory and was forced to bury the body near the shed, he said in the petition.

Karuppasamy said the factory mangement did not allow him to leave the job. They also forced his wife to work within days after her delivery, he alleged. - PTI

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