Daijiworld News Network - Udupi (GA)
Udupi, Jul 8: "There are no bonded labourers in quarry at Kuntalkatte near Perdur here. The quarry has secured permission from the government. There are about 50 labourers working under 4 main masons. They all work under contract and are paid their wages in time," said quarry owner Sudhakar Shetty.
He was speaking at a press conference here on Friday July 7.
He further said that one of his masons, Kamappa had been working with him for the last 3 years. "Some time ago he borrowed Rs 1.45 lac from me and said that he would bring labourers to work in my quarry. He came with 13 workers after a month. But only 3-4 of them knew quarry work. Rest all were involved in construction work earlier. So some of them returned after a few days. Meanwhile Kamappa went once again to fetch workers but never came back. He did not even return money. So I had filed a case in the Hiriadka police station in this regard. Kamappa was summoned and released after writing a security bond. Buy now he is blackmailing me," accused he.
He also accused Kamappa of giving wrong details about himself and said that the latter had married several times in different places. He further clarified that there is neither bonded labour nor child labour in the quarry.
Masons Basappa, Anand, Dyamanna were also present at the press conference.