Slavery is still alive in state: 2574 bonded labourers demand relief!
Bengaluru, July 13: Even after more than 70 years of independence, the inhuman practice- bonded labour or slavery is still alive in the state. In spite of several acts brought to eradicate such social evil from the society, they have their tentacles.
The practice of working as bonded labourers in the fields of the rich is still alive in some parts of the state. Total 2574 such bonded labourers including 13 from Channapatna, representing by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, were waiting to get emancipation from slavery across the state.
Already, thousands of bonded labourers have written to the deputy commissioners and the assistant commissioners of their respective districts to relieve them from such work and to provide rehabilitation. The Jeeta Vimukta Karnataka, an organization fighting against the practice, has published a report and alleged that the practice is still alive in each district. But till date, no rehabilitation and pension scheme was applied to them, it added.
It also said that from 2010-15, there were more than 15000 bonded labourers and they were not emancipated. Their dream of getting relief from the practice was not yet fulfilled for the last many years. They believed that they could live like others if the government emancipated them and provided rehabilitation. But because of the negligence of the authorities concerned, they failed to get the relief.
Bonded labourers
From 2013 to June 2018, thousands of bonded labourers have applied for their emancipation and demanding rehabilitation across the state. The report said that 43 bonded labourers from Manvi and seven in Devadurga of Raichur district, 42 in Alandur of Chamarajnagar, two in Kadur of Chikmagalur, 17 in Kundgol of Dharwad, 840 in Sidlaghatta of Chikkaballapur, 414 in Gauribidanur, 444 in Bagepalli, 131 in Gudibande, 47 in Gundlupet in Charajnagar, 38 in Magadi of Ramanagara, 20 in Shahapur, 23 in Chittapur in Kalburgi, 150 in Ramdurga in Belagavi have applied for their emancipation. Total 14,217 persons had applied for their emancipation between 2012 and 2016, 1099 in 2017 and in the current year, 356 have applied. As per the law, only deputy commissioners or assistant commissioners should conduct the enquiry or hearing of bonded labourers as these officers are given judicial magistrate power. There is no need to file FIR and their interrogation should not be conducted in normal courts, according to the report.
The owners to be held guilty could be punished for 3 years jail and Rs 2000 penalty. Even then, the bonded labour system is alive in the state. In special cases, the penalty could be increased up to Rs 2 lakh. Physically disabled, sexually exploited, women and transgenders could be given up to Rs 3 lakh compensation. However, men will get Rs 1 lakh compensation. But there is an allegation that the assistant commissioners were not taking it seriously and providing the rehabilitations.
Officials’ apathy?
Though the concerned district administrations were given the written answers and certified them as bonded labourers as per the government’s statement in 2012, the deputy commissioners of respective districts have not taken any steps to rehabilitate them, the Jeeta Vimukta Karnataka said.
New law
The central government brought amendment to the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976 and restructured the rehabilitation scheme of bonded labourers. The compensation was increased from Rs 20,000 to Rs 50000.
‘In some districts, the assistant commissioners were not giving emancipation letters while hearing the bonded labourers. Instead, they ask the police department to serve notices to the owners to face the hearing in courts. But the owners who take notices would force the bonded labourers to take back their statements’.
- Kiran Kamala Prasad, Convener, Jeeta Vimukta Karnataka
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Probe launched as 25 tigers reported missing from Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
In response to alarming findings in a recent internal report, Rajasthan’s Chief Wildlife Warden, Pavan Kumar Upadhyay, has established a three-member committee to investigate the reported disappearance of 25 tigers from the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. Upadhyay’s order, dated November 4, notes ongoing concerns in tiger monitoring data, which indicate the absence of concrete evidence for the whereabouts of 11 tigers for over a year and 14 others for less than a year. Ranthambore, home to around 75 tigers, recently lost tigers T-58 and T-86.
According to Upadhyay, multiple reminders were issued to the Field Director of Ranthambore to address the issue, yet conditions remain unsatisfactory. The committee, composed of senior Forest Department officials—APCCF (Wildlife) Rajesh Kumar Gupta, Dr. T Mohan Raj, and Manas Singh—has been directed to submit a comprehensive report within two months. Their tasks include investigating the efforts made by field authorities to locate the missing tigers, examining records, recommending disciplinary actions if needed, and providing suggestions to improve the reserve’s monitoring systems.
