Sunday 12 June 2016
Thursday 9 June 2016
Friday 18 March 2016
NHRC ASKS ODISHA CHIEF SECY FOR ATR Friday, 18 March 2016 | PNS | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar;News in The Pioneer
NHRC ASKS ODISHA CHIEF SECY FOR ATR
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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has
asked the Chief Secretary of Odisha to submit an action-taken report (ATR)
within four weeks on steps taken by the district Collectors for rehabilitation
of released bonded labourers in the different districts of the State.
Taking note of a news story published in The
Pioneer on December 11 last year, with headline ‘Bonded labourers rescued, not
rehabilitated’, the NHRC issued the notice to the Chief Secretary on March 17.
Notably, there have been many complaints on denial
of rehabilitation to the rescued labourers in different parts of Odisha with
the phenomenon rampant in western Odisha where distress migration is a cause of
concern for the authorities.
The hapless labourers after being expatriated to
their home land from hazardous workplaces in outside States have to run from
pillar to post for their rehabilitation as per law.
While in some cases, the labourers are left in the
lurch, in several other cases, files are not processed due to bureaucratic
apathy.
NHRC ask Chief Secretary to submit ATR on rehabilitations of Bonded labourer of Odisha.
NHRC ask Chief Secretary to submit ATR on
rehabilitations of Bonded labourer of Odisha.
NHRC issued notice on the report published in
“The Pioneer”(BONDED
LABOURERS RESCUED, NOT REHABILITATEDFriday, 11 December 2015 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR
Dearall
I had covered this story on Decmber2015.The NHRC New Delhi taking note of this story ,has issued notice to Chief Secretary GovtofOdisha to Submit Action taken report on rehabilitation of BondedLabourers within four weeks.
I enclose the Notice of NHRC andthe story for your perusal.
yours
SudhirMishra/Bolangir
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Case No. 921/18/2/2016
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Dated: 3/17/2016
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To
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THE CHIEF SECRETARY
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GOVERNMENT OF ODISHA, BHUBANESWAR
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Sir,
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The
Complaint dated 13/01/2016 was placed before the Commission
on 02/02/2016. Upon perusing the complaint, the Commission directed as
follows:
The petitioner has alleged that
the released bonded labourers in Odisha are not being rehabilitated by the
concerned District Magistrate in many Districts. Let the complaint be
transmitted to the Chief Secretary, Government of Odisha calling for action
taken report within 04 weeks.
2. Accordingly, I am forwarding
herewith a copy of the complaint for taking appropriate action in the matter
as per the directions of the Commission. It is requested that an Action Taken
Report be sent to the Commission within from the date of
reciept of this letter.
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Yours faithfully,
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ASSISTANT REGISTRAR (LAW)
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Encl: Copy of the Complaint
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Note>1.
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CC:
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=========================================================
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12/11/15
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NEWS IN ENGLISH DAILY
THE PIONEER
BONDED LABOURERS
RESCUED, NOT REHABILITATED
Friday, 11 December 2015 | SUDHIR MISHRA |
BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar
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I had gone to a brick kiln of Andhra Pradesh in 2012 to work as
a labourer. But I along with many others were rescued and given release
certificate after some time. We were assured of release of Rs 19, 000 at home.
However, after returning home, I approached the local block officials and was
told to contact both BDO and WEO to get the rehabilitation assistance. I
submitted papers to them but till today, I have not received the money,”
lamented Ragu Deep of Dumerpitha village of Deogaon block.
Dhuba Chinagur of Saan Patrapali of Naren gram panchayat of
Titilagarh also had similar version. “I was rescued from a brick kiln of Tamil
Nadu in 2011. After returning here, I submitted the documents to the
block officials for my rehabilitation assistance. However, they did not listen
to us.”
Several bonded labourers of Balangir district staged a dharna
before the Collectorate on occasion the Human Rights Day demanding immediate
payment of their rehabilitation assistance and their inclusion in different
social security schemes. They also demanded a comprehensive plan for their
proper rehabilitation.
About 276 bonded labourers of Balangir district are yet to
receive their rehabilitation assistance. We demand that the rehabilitation
assistance be paid to them immediately and a comprehensive social security and
livelihood plan be prepared and implemented for proper rehabilitation, said
Dadan and Goti Surakshya Manch president Motilal Tandi.
“A total of 1,208 bonded labourers in Odisha, which
includes around 100 children and 500 women, were legally released and freed
from bondage from the brick kilns by the Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and
Karnataka State Governments and repatriated them to Odisha between 2011 and
2014. As per the Bonded Labour Systems (Abolition) Act 1976, these legally
released bonded labourers have the right to receive rehabilitation assistance
of Rs 20,000. The rehabilitation assistance amount is shared by both the State
and Central Governments.
While the State Government contributes 50 per cent of the
assistance, the rest 50 per cent is borne by the Central Government, pointed
out a civil society activist.
The Bonded Labour Systems (Abolitions) Act 1976 also envisages
that the State Government should take such steps that the labourers released
should not get into further bondage situation. Also, they are entitled to get
Government entitlements to reduce the distress condition, he opined.
According to unofficial sources, 269 labourers in Balangir, 124
in Nuapada, 104 in Bargarh, 15 in Sonepur,12 in Sambalpur, eight in Gajapati,
seven in Rayagada and five in Nabarangpur are yet to get the rehabilitation
assistance.
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Tuesday 12 January 2016
Sulia Yatra: Hundreds of goats, birds slaughtered Wednesday, 13 January 2016 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar
Sulia Yatra: Hundreds of goats, birds slaughtered
Wednesday, 13 January 2016 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar
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Hundreds of animals and birds, including buffaloes, goats, sheep and
hens, were killed at Suliapitha near Khairguda village under Tusura
police station in Balangir district, much to the dismay of animal lovers
once again.
Every year Sulia Yatra is observed by the tribals at Badkhala, near
Khairguda village on the second Tuesday of Hindu Calendar month of
Pausha where in animals are sacrificed in large numbers. Besides, in
Sanakhela, the main place where Sulia Yatra is held, animal killing also
takes place with equal ferocity.
Despite wide scale condemnation of the ritual and district
administration’s strict no-no, the tribals have been staging the
bloodletting defending it as their age old tradition. They are also
protesting ban on the killing as interference in their religious belief
and customs.
Notably, this year the Supreme Court had clarified that it would not
interfere in tribal tradition, custom and religious practices. After the
verdict came, the district administration’s role was confined to mere
maintenance of law and order.
Just two days ago, a petition by interim managing trustee of Sulias
Pitha Biranchi Kaunar to stop animals killing and implement directives
of the Orissa High Court to the district administration to take steps to
check cruelty to animals had made the expectations high that no animal
killing would take place this year. However, things were sorted out
among the tribal members at a meeting on Monday last in which it was
decided to latch on to the age old rituals at Sulia.
This year, thanks to the verdict of the Supreme Court, there has been
no tension in the site. No prohibitory orders were imposed. Devotes
brought animals to be slaughtered at the altar of the tribal deity.
“Since last four years I have been visiting the Sulia Pitha. One of my
uncles met with an accident. I had prayed to Sulia god to keep my
husband safe. His life was saved. As a thank giving to Sulia Budha, I
have offered animals and coconut today,” said a woman devotee from
Sambalpur.
The Zilla Adivsi Kalyan Sangh welcomed the verdict of the Supreme
Court. “We have our own tradition and customs which we observe. The
animal killing at Sulia Pitha is going on since years. The interim
trustee of Sulia Pitha Biranchi Kaunar had submitted an application with
district administration to stop animal killing here. But he was not
invited by district administration,” said Zilla Adivasi Kalyan Sangha,
Balangir secretary Niranjan Bishi.
After the recent verdict of Supreme Court, we are looking into law and
order only. No prohibitory orders have been clamped at Sulia. Adequate
forces have been deployed at the sites, said Balangir SP Deepak Kumar.
Rescued migrant workers get raw deal from Govt Wednesday, 13 January 2016 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar
News in English daily the Pioneer
Rescued migrant workers get
raw deal from Govt
Wednesday, 13 January 2016
| SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar
The migrant bonded
labourers after being released with certificates from brick kilns and other
work sites are not getting adequate compensation as per rules, thanks to apathy
of the officials.
Among the poor bonded
labourers, it is the migrant bonded labourers who suffer the most. The poor
migrant bonded labourers from western parts of Odisha and KBK region are very
prone to distress migration. They move to brick kilns of Andhra Pradesh,
Telengana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and other districts for more than six months
by taking advance and work there for long hours. However, at the work sites
they are tortured and harassed. Minimum facilities are not found at the work
sites as per different laws, including Labour laws.
“I had gone to a
brick kiln of Andhra Pradesh in 2012 to work as a labourer. But I along with
many others was rescued and given release certificate after some time. We were
assured of payment of Rs 19, 000 at home. However, after returning home, I
approached the local block officials and was told to contact both BDO and WEO
to get the rehabilitation assistance. I submitted papers to them but till
today, I have not received the money,” lamented Ragu Deep of Dumerpitha village
of Deogaon block.
Dhuba Chinagur of Saan
Patrapali of Naren gram panchayat of Titilagarh also had similar version.
“I was rescued from a brick
kiln of Tamil Nadu in 2011. After returning here, I submitted the
documents to the block officials for my rehabilitation assistance. However,
they did not listen to us.”
These migrant bonded
labourers usually return home with virtually no money with them as most of them
exhaust/adjust their wage earned towards advance taken from Dalals and
middlemen. Besides facing a lot of problems in the worksite and absence of
minimum facility, they also are meted out with torture and exploitation by the
brick kiln owners at the worksite, said an activist.
As per the Bonded Labour
Systems (Abolition) Act 1976, these legally released bonded labourers are
entitled to receive rehabilitation assistance of Rs 20,000. While Rs 1,000
should be given on the spot of release, the rest Rs 19, 000 should be given to
them in their home place. While giving livelihood assistance, the district
administration should also prepare a comprehensive livelihood plan and steps
should be taken so that the bonded labourers do not return to bondage situation
again.
The rehabilitation
assistance amount is shared by both the State and Central Governments. While
the State Government contributes 50 per cent of the assistance, the rest 50 per
cent is borne by the Central Government, pointed out a civil society activist.
In Balangir district,
officially 127 proposals of bonded labourers are yet to receive their
rehabilitation assistance and the same proposals are pending with the
Panchayati Raj Department. In Kalahandi district, 54 bonded labourers are yet
to receive their assistance, said activist Dilip Das of Kalahandi.
In Nuapada district, 146
labourers are yet to get their assistance and their proposal has been pending
with Panchayati Raj department for more than a year.
In Bargarh district,
unofficially the number of bonded labourers who are yet to receive their
rehabilitation assistance stands at 93, said sources. In the whole of Odisha,
unofficially, there are a total of 1,208 bonded labourers out of which 675 have
received rehabilitation assistance and533 are yet to receive it. Unofficially
in Balangir district (269), in Nuapada (124,) in Sonepur (15), in Nawrangpur
(5), in Sambalpur (12), in Gajapati (8) and in Rayagada (7) bonded labourers
are yet to receive their assistance.
“At times we get incomplete
proposals for rehabilitation of bonded labourers by BDOs. They do not submit
the proposal in proper way. To get rehabilitation assistance, the
rehabilitation assistance application should come to us with Xerox copy of
release certificate, voter I- card etc. Very often incomplete application are
sent to us which makes it difficult for us to send the proposal to State level
and we once again send them to BDOs to comply with properly. Many BDOs simply
sit over those proposals,” said an official requesting anonymity.
Moreover the district level
Bonded Labour monitoring committee and sub-divisional committee are in defunct
stage. They hardly meet regularly. Even when the meeting is convened only a few
members turn up. The committee at district and sub divisional level should be
reconstituted to make it functional to tackle the issue effectively, pointed
out an activist.
The quantum of assistance
of Rs 20,000given to released bonded labourers was fixed in 1976. It should be
hiked to at least Rs 40,000 in view of rise in prices of all commodities,
pointed out a civil society activist.
Moreover, the bonded
labourers should receive priority in getting Indira Awas Yojana houses, along
with comprehensive livelihood planning, the activist added.
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