The labour shortage has engulfed the brick kilns of Punjab and Haryana. After agriculture and textile units this is the latest in the ambit of labour scarcity in the region.
The situation has acquired a serious proportion to an extend that the Brick Kiln Associations in the two states now plan to head for an indefinite strike from June 15, if the government authorities don’t take an action against it.
The Brick Kiln owners arrange labour through the agents who travel to states of Bihar, Orissa and Bengal and neighbouring areas to hire families of labourers to be engaged with them. The agents, as informed by a brick kiln owner pay them a sum in advance to work for the specific kiln owners and the acknowledgement of the recipients is taken on a registered document.
In the wake of labour crisis, some smart workers taking advantage of the government’s guidelines on bonded labour misguide the government authorities and seek their support. The kiln owners contend that they get the instructions from the Warrant Officer to release the labourers. The labourers then scout for new employment in some other pocket with advance wage and work for a shorter duration than committed, told Gulshan Narang, President of Haryana Brick Kiln Association.
According to Kuldeep Singh Makkar, President, Punjab Brick Kilns Owners Association, “ Around 3000 Brick Kiln Owners from Punjab produce 15 crores of bricks in a single day helping in the various ventures of private builders to Govt driven projects. Bricks are considered to be a basic element of any construction project, be it in Building, Housing, Road construction, Bridges etc. Govt. ignoring the just demands of this industry has provided to be a massive setback to owners and this could further make them lose their interest in this trade. As a result, in the near future, ongoing construction projects would have to pay a heavy cost.
According to Mr. Kuldip Kumar Khanduja, Senior Vice President, All India Brick Kiln and Tiles Owners Association and Chairman, Punjab Brick Kiln Owner Association, “This industry is already going through a bad phase because of factory act, provident fund, ignorance by respective State Govts, food and civil supplies directions, labour acts and new notifications of mineral acts. Punjab Brick Kiln Owners Association along with their allied chapters from Haryana and Western UP, in their last meeting has unanimously reached on a decision to close down their units for an indefinite strike from next week to mark their protest to the Govt and to urge the High Court to review the Bonded Labour Act.