11 CHILDREN AMONG 19 MIGRANTS CAPTIVE IN AP Friday, 20 March 2015 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

11 CHILDREN AMONG 19 MIGRANTS CAPTIVE IN AP

Friday, 20 March 2015 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

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Even as the State Government is making tall claims of providing jobs to people, especially the poor and weaker sections at their doorstep yet reports of poor people from Balangir district are migrating to brick kilns of Andhra Pradesh to face torture, exploitation and even held hostage there.

According to complaints lodged with the District Labour Office, police and other officials here, a total of 19 migrants, including 11 children of villages Banipali, Saanjhankarpali and Jamsari of Balangir Sadar block are facing torture and exploitation in the brick kilns of Andhra Pradesh.

“We were taken to the brick kilns of KodiKochi under the Jinaram police station in Secunderbad district of AP by labour Sardars Madu Suna and Hrushikesh Chhatar, who promised us to pay Rs 20,000 per head as advance,” said Gandaram Parabhue in his petition to  the District Labour  Officer (DLO).

“First, labour Sardar Madhu Suna visited the village and promised to pay Rs 20,000 as advance per head and motivated us to migrate. Then, he told us that labour Sardar Hurushikesh Chhatar would accompany us and make necessary arrangements in the brick kiln,” Parabhue said further.

“We migrated in the month of Margsira and labour Sardar Chattar left us in the brick kiln of Nasima Seth. However, rather than giving the promised advance money, the kiln owner told us to pay the money only after seeing the work. After a few days, the owner paid us Rs 10,000 which was photographed and video-recorded. After a few hours of the payment, the kiln owners forcibly took

away the money from us, saying it would be utilised elsewhere. We protested his decision, saying we need to send the money to tour homes. The owner  abused and assaulted us,” Parabhue said.

“I was assaulted there. I escaped from the kiln on the pretext of going to attend nature’s call to a nearby forest, said he. The kiln owner has detained 19 labourers, including 11 children, and torturing them. I appeal to the district administration to rescue them,” Parabhue said further. When contacted, Balangir DLO MM Paikray told this correspondent, “I have spoken to the Assistant Labour Commissioner of Pathanchor in Medak district of AP on this incident and they are looking into the matter.”