Rescued labourer given flour mill, but ‘powerless’ to run it
GULAWAADIDODDI, KANAKAPURA TALUK (RAMANAGARA): In 2013, a happy story was circulated. Kenchappa along with his parents and wife Savitha, who were working as bonded labourers at a brick factory in Jigani, had been rescued. They had been toiling for four years to ''repay'' a loan of Rs 15,000 and had given up dreaming about freedom and a dignified life, when a tip-off to the local administration and an NGO saved them.
But now, their short run with hope has ended. The electric flour mill, given to him as part of a rehabilitation package, lies unused. There is no electricity to run it and, Kencha's tiny living quarters, a shed, has no toilet or water supply. Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Krishna Byregowda, when contacted by TNIE, assures that help with reach the family soon.
| NAGARAJA GADEKAL
Kencha earned his debt about ten years ago when his family had a rare celebration, for his brother's wedding. His family – parents, wife and brother – comes from Gulawaadidoddi, a small village with around 30 houses, located 28 km from Kanakapura taluk of Ramanagara district. The brother's marriage was fixed with a girl from Tamil Nadu and, as is the tradition, the groom's side was expected to buy clothes for the bride and her family. "We borrowed `15,000 from a brick factory owner at Jigani. To repay, he said, we have to work at his factory and we readily agreed,'' Kencha says. After marriage, his brother moved to his in-laws' house in Tamil Nadu, and the debt came calling at Kencha's door.
His family were like many others working at the factory. Kencha would start his work day at 4 am, loading bricks into a truck and unloading them at different delivery points, and would finish work late into the night. His wife and parents were asked to sieve mud manually, confined to the factory.
The family of four were paid `500 per week for groceries and vegetables. "If we asked for a day off, the owner would remind us of our debt. One day we argued and he abused us, and told us that we now owe him `35,000 including interest,'' Kencha says. Thankfully, a tip off with the local administration in 2013 brought them a team of rescuers including officials from Revenue Department, Anti-Human Trafficking
Unit of CID and Ramanagara DC, and International Justice Mission (IJM), an NGO.The family was sent to Gulawaadidoddi and Kencha was given a ragi mill that he could run.He set up the machine in his relative's house since his living space was too cramped. College students had built a single room as a house for the family; a bush nearby serves a toilet.
The mill gave Kencha reason to hope. "But we have no power supply," he says. "The electricity board officials are demanding `1.5 lakh for a commercial connection. Where will I get the money from?" he asks.