CHENNAI: Five bonded labourers, including two children, belonging to a tribal community in Andhra Pradesh were rescued from a prawn farm in Tiruvallur on Tuesday. The rescue was carried out by a One Stop Crisis Team comprising officials from the District Legal Services Authority, Revenue and Labour departments and NGO representatives.
Officials said, the five labourers, including a couple and their two children, were allegedly made to work at the farm from 5 am until night and were not allowed to leave the premises. The children, a boy and a girl, are around 14 and 11 years old.
The family had initially been paid Rs 1.1 lakh, while the other worker was paid `40,000. The farm owner would also allegedly give them `10,000 once every few months towards expenses. Officials also found a book at the farm stating that the family still owed the owner Rs 1.25 lakh.
“All five have been sent back to Andhra Pradesh based on their request, and we have also intimated the state there for rehabilitation. Bank accounts have been opened for them, and they will get interim compensation of Rs 30,000 each,” said K Nalinidevi, Secretary, Tiruvallur DLSA.