From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Sep 24: A total of 7646 persons are being allegedly forced to work as bonded labourers in different districts of Karnataka, according to a report of the Bonded Labourers’ Review constituted by the State Government.

The committee headed by journalist Sivaji Ganesan submitted its 84-page report to Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj on Thursday.

The report said a large number of workers have been forced to work as bonded labourers in coffee plantations, fast-food chains and industries such as carpet, brick kiln, quarrying, beedi rolling.

Owners of factories pay advance amount to labourers and ask them to work for hours and days without break, the committee said.

The committee, which borrowed the survey data conducted by Jeeta Vimukti Karnataka (Jeevika), a NGO, in 2013, revealed that many bonded labourers were found in Bidar (1357), Mysuru (830), Hassan (827), Chikkaballapur (607) and Raichur (469) districts.

The committee noted that Deputy Commissioners in North Karnataka districts were reluctant to share data on bonded labourers and have not taken steps to rehabilitate them.

Ganesan said the committee has given 22 recommendations, including effective implementation of rehabilitation schemes, for making “Karnataka free from bonded labourers.”