Rehabilitation Survey

As the result of owner’s consultation we conducted a rehabilitation survey in 243 rice mills totalling around 1400 families to submit a concrete report on the present conditions of the forced labours to ILO, district administration. Owing to the endeavour we have compiled a book on forced labour survey.

Jeeva Jyothi wants to restore the ‘right to work’ to each person. Though the Constitution of India does not guarantee ‘right to work’ as a fundamental right, through our actions, advocacy and lobbying, we want to ensure that the workers are given their due right to work, are given at least the minimum wages stipulated by the government and eventually the need based minimum wage.

Bonded Labor

Our reach among children and women in Thiruvallur district unfolded the existence of unorganized workers in large numbers. In the area called Red Hills, numerous rice mills and brick kilns employed bonded (forced) laborers. For a paltry sum borrowed by the worker or his ancestor, he is forced to work under the same owner till the debt is paid back. Very often, even after some years, the principal amount remains the same as the recovered amount is always shown as ‘interest amount’. Majority of the workers are illiterate and what the owner says becomes the final word. The workers and all the members of their families toiled for more than 16 to 20 hours a day under inhuman working conditions. They were confined within the work premises in thatched huts with the barest of amenities. They were not allowed to go out even for free medical treatment in the government health facilities. Children too worked along with their parents and not enrolled in schools. Most of the workers in the brick kilns are seasonal workers. In off season, they migrate to other places in search of alternate employment.