NIZAMABAD: A single complaint from a labourer who escaped from a brick kiln in Siddapur village of Nandipet mandal triggered a large-scale rescue operation in Nizamabad district, leading to the liberation of nearly 1,000 bonded labourers from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
The rescued labourers, many of whom had been living in temporary huts and tin sheds in extreme heat, were freed from brick kilns in Nandipet and Armoor mandals in coordination with the Revenue department.
On Tuesday, Nizamabad District Judge and District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Chairperson GVN Bharath Laxmi, along with officials from various government departments, visited the brick kiln units to rescue the labourers.
According to the district judge, the State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) received a complaint from a labourer who had escaped from a brick kiln in Siddapur. After recording his statement, the SLSA directed her to visit the site, facilitate the rescue operation and submit a report.
During her visit to brick kilns in Siddapur, Bharath Laxmi interacted with workers and their family members, most of whom had migrated from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and different parts of Telangana.
Speaking to the media, she said around 1,000 labourers were engaged in bonded labour in the area. She observed that labour laws were not being implemented properly and records were not being maintained. Though licences were allegedly obtained for only 20 workers, kiln owners were employing hundreds of labourers.
She noted that wages were low and payments were not being made on time. Amid severe heat conditions in Nizamabad, labourers were forced to live in unhygienic temporary huts and tin sheds at their workplaces. Many workers appeared unhealthy and vulnerable to illness due to poor living and working conditions.
The district judge said bonded labour release certificates would be issued free of cost to all rescued labourers. Arrangements would also be made to shift them to shelter homes with proper facilities before they were sent back to their native places. She directed brick kiln owners to clear all pending wages before the workers left.
She also instructed the local MRO to ensure that all labourers were freed from bonded labour and shifted to shelter homes. Later, she visited brick kiln units in Armoor mandal.
Several labourers alleged that wages were not being paid properly and that they were being given insufficient commodity vouchers instead of adequate payments. Officials were shocked to see workers enduring temperatures of 46°C without proper clothing while staying in temporary shelters.
Bharath Laxmi also visited brick kiln units in Maggidi and Degam villages, where around 1,000 workers were rescued. Officials said the kiln owners had been operating the units for nearly 15 years, using soil from the Godavari riverbed for brick production. Workers alleged that they were forced to work from 3 pm to 3 am and were threatened by the management.
Some labourers had reportedly approached police in the past, but the management allegedly retaliated by threatening to implicate them in theft cases. One worker eventually escaped and approached the SLSA, leading to the rescue operation.