Excelsior Correspondent
NOWSHERA, May 19: The District Administration Rajouri rescued 63 bonded labourers including half a dozen children from a brick kiln in Jhangar area of tehsil Nowshera in district Rajouri.
These hapless kiln workers hail from Chhatisgarh State. They were working at BBK brick kiln for the last more than three years. These labourers were freed after, a Delhi based NGO, namely Bonded Labours Liberation Front informed Dy Commissioner Rajouri about the matter. The Dy Commissioner then directed Additional DC to initiate an inquiry into the matter.
Tehsildar Nowshera and SHO concerned rushed to the brick kiln and found that a total 63 workers including women and even minor children hailing from Chhatisgarh State were being work as bonded labourers. The Magistrate recorded the statements of the workers and then submitted the report to DC Rajouri. With the intervention of local administration all the 63 labourers were rescued. Some members of the NGO from Delhi including its executive director Nirmal Gurana and Chhatisgarh police party has also arrived here. They appreciated the initiative of District Administration Rajouri.
The rescued labourers approached the SDM Nowshera to provide them release letter so that they could claim their wages before the competent authority. They were waiting for the last two days at a local Sarai in the temple. They were assured to provide `Mukti Patra’. Today evening, they started protest dharna outside the official residence of SDM Nowshera Dipti Uppal. They alleged that for the last two days they were waiting for this certificate but SDM and Tehsildar despite assurance have not provided the same.
They alleged that they had no money and food to eat and want to return to their homes in Chhatisgarh. They included two pregnant women and about half dozen children including half a dozen minors. Some locals arranged food for them today by collecting money. They claimed that they will not lift dharna unless they are provided release letter/ certificate. They alleged that contractor who had brought them had gone underground and they were pushed into hell.
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