NHRC issues notice to TN govt over rescue of 52 bonded

The National Human Rights Commission today issued a notice to Tamil Nadu government calling for a report within four weeks in connection with the rescue of 52 bonded labourers, mostly minors, from a bore-well firm in Chennai.
The move came after NHRC took cognisance of a media report in this regard.
"The labourers were mostly minors from Chhattishgarh and Odisha, and were forced to work for about 15 hours without getting wages in bore-well firm in Avadi, Chennai," the NHRC said in a statement.
The Commission observed that the contents of the news report, if true, amounts to gross violation of human rights of the victims. Accordingly, the notice was issued to the State Government, through its Chief Secretary.

According to the media report, a special team led by the Child Protection Officer, Narayanpur, Chhattishgarh, came to Chennai in search of a missing person and stumbled upon the victims.
Some local agents had allegedly trapped them by paying an initial advance of Rs 1,000 with a promised monthly salary of Rs 4,000, which was never paid for several months, the report said.