KENDRAPARA: Exploited by the employer and abandoned by their agents, four workers of Kendrapara district returned from Thailand on Saturday after a five month ordeal.
Five youths from Kendrapada district and one from Bhadrak had travelled to Thailand in August last year to work in a plywood company. However, they later alleged that the company they worked with did not pay their wages and they faced hardships.
As their call for help reached Odisha government through social media, coordinated efforts were initiated. The Ministry of External Affairs, chief resident commissioner of the state government in New Delhi and agencies such as directorate of Odisha Paribar under Odia Language, Literature and Culture department, Labour and Employees State Insurance department as well the administration of Kendrapada and Bhadrak joined forces to being them back.
Four of the stranded youths were repatriated and after their return, they expressed gratitude to the state government for the timely support and assistance. The youths said they spent over `2 lakh each to get the job in a plywood factory in Chon Buri of Thailand. However, they were allegedly duped by their employers in Thailand and agents in India.
“We had gone to Thailand through a recruiting agent to work in a plywood company for a monthly salary of Rs 50,000. But the company did not pay proper salaries,” said Jayant Mallick, a native of Naugaon village under Rajkanika block.
Mallick said they were supposed to work for eight hours but ended up working 12 hours to 14 hours a day. “We contacted our agents in India and told them that we could not tolerate the tortures anymore but they did not pay any heed,” said Hemant Behera, another worker of Katarabania village.
Some of them sold their land and borrowed money to get the job abroad. “But our fate now hangs in the balance. The owner of the company had confiscated our passports in Thailand,” said Manoranjan Sahoo of Kaudiapala.
Additional district magistrate of Kendrapada Nabakrishna Jena said the other stranded workers will soon return from Thailand soon.