ERODE: A weekly pay of Rs 800 per family; once-a-week permit to go out of their shabby tenements, and that too only for the menfolk. These were some of the inhuman conditions eight persons were living under at three brick kilns under Anthiyur taluk in Gobichettipalayam till Friday. When officials landed at the kiln and freed them from the shackles of bonded labour after five years, the Irula workers and their six children from Cuddalore were given another shot at life. This time, one of freedom.
Sources said that after the completion of formalities, the district administration would hand over the rescued people to officials in Cuddalore, where their rehabilitation package would be worked out.
The rescue operation was mounted based on a complaint from the National Adivasi Solidarity Council. Based on the input, the Revenue Divisional Officer of Gobichettipalyam rescued the eight from bonded labour; an FIR was registered against Jegan, Kanakaraj and Ramaswamy, the owners of the kilns.
Speaking to TNIE, a member of the National Adivasi Solidarity Council, Jegan, said, “A few months ago, we were given a tip-off by the kin of the bonded labourer. After closely monitoring their condition for over two months, we filed a petition with the RDO on Thursday.”
Like most cases of bonded labour, these families too fell into the debt trap laid by an agent, who brought the families here to work out of their financial bondage. That was five years ago.