KRISHNAGIRI: Members of the Irula tribe, who are employed as bonded labourers at a brick kiln near Denkanikottai, petitioned the district Collector on Wednesday to rescue them. As many as 10 people have been working in the kiln for over a year.
M Saakappan (37), a native of Perunkaadu near Marandahalli in Dharmapuri, said in the petition to Krishnagiri Collector Dr V Jaya Chandra Bhanu Reddy, “My family, including two children, have been working as a bonded labourers in a brick kiln chamber in Bellur village near Thalli for nearly two years. There is a Sakthivel and his family also working here. Last week, the two-year-old child of Sakthivel was electrocuted here. We are also being harassed by the owner of the kiln.”
Both the families are from the Irula tribe and had received around Rs 75,000 from the owner and worked for over a year.
They petitioned the Collector through READ (Rights, Education and Development), an NGO, The Collector received the petition and directed Hosur RDO to inquire into the issue.