----------------------------------------
To
The
District Collector
Erode
District
Erode
Respected Sir,
Greetings
from Rights education and development centre(READ)
Sub: Petition to file First
Information Report (FIR) under Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 in
the case of rescue of 138 bonded labourers including 44 children below the age
of 14 years on 15th & 16th October 2012.
Ref: First Petition dated 16.10.2012
submitted in person to the District Collector at Erode.
READ, is working for child rights,
women rights, manual scavengers and the rights of Dalits . It is working against exploitative child
labour, camp coolie system and bonded labour. Our Textile and Garment industry
is the second largest employment provider after agriculture in Tamilnadu.
Despite industrial growth and growing employment for the poor, there are
200,000 girls working as bonded labourers under sumangali scheme (camp coolie
system). Most of them are less than 18 years and many even less than 14
years.
Tamil Nadu State Government has accepted the fact that
girls are employed under camp coolie scheme in textile mills in its affidavit
to Madras High Court on 14/2/2007. The Judgment
of the High Court of Madras on 30/04/2009 has recalled that India has ratified
core ILO conventions and bound to accept ILO Declaration on Fundamental
Principles and Rights at Work, which is an expression of commitment by
governments, organizations of workers and employers, to uphold basic human
values that are vital to social and economic lives. Recently, Union Cabinet
Ministers meeting has cleared the proposal to prohibit the employment of all
children below the age of 14 years in any industry. Employing a child under 14
for any work will be a cognizable offence punishable with imprisonment up to
two years or a fine up to Rs 50,000 or both, an increase from the current
one-year jail or Rs 20,000 punishment.
Restrict non-hazardous work to adolescents between the age of 14 and 18
years.
The child labour practices are found
to be rampant in the textile mills in Erode district. It is evidently proved by
the rescue of 138 bonded labourers in the age group of less than 18 years
including 44 children below the age of 14 years on 15th & 16th
October 2012. Parents of the children have taken advance, the children are kept
in prison type accommodation, they are forced to work for 12 hours a day more
12 and they are provided poor quality of food and drinking water. All of them
lived in a poor sanitary condition with just two toilets. They are not permitted to communicate with
their families and outside world. It is clear case of bonded labour.
While we appreciate the efforts of
District Administration to rescue the child labourers, we are also equally
concerned about rehabilitation of rescued children. In this context, we demand
the following: -
1. We kindly request you to file FIR
under Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 and initiate action as per the
offences and procedures of trial of the Act against the perpetuators of this
heinous crime.
2. Please initiate a detailed
enquiry against the mill to understand the bonded labour practices and to issue
“Release Certificate” to the rescued children under Bonded Labour System
(Abolition) Act, 1976.
3. We request you to file additional
charges against the mill under the Child Labour (Regulation and Prohibition
Act, 1986, Section 26 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) of
Children Act, 2000 as it deals with the exploitation of a Juvenile or Child
Employee below 18 years and punishable with imprisonment for a term which may
extend to three years and shall also be liable for fine. So that fine recovered
from violators shall be used for the rehabilitation of bonded children with
safe accommodation, education and skill trainings
4. Please order inspection of all
relevant officials in all the textile mills located in Erode District
We hope that
you will agree with our meaningful demands based on the rights enshrined in our
Constitution, Labour laws, Orders of the Supreme Court, High Court of Madras
and ILO core conventions ratified by our country.
Thanking you
Yours
sincerely
R.Karuppasamy
Director
READ
Sathyamangalam,
Erode District
Mobile:
+91 98420 90035
E-mail:
ksamy2005@gmail.com
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