Bonded, liberated labour share the same plight

New Delhi, May 1 (UNI) The plight of bonded labour liberated from the shackles remain almost the same as those still in bondage as depicted in two documentaries by young filmmaker Pravin Mishra.

The films titled "Azad Nagar" and "Gulam Nagar" were screened here last evening. The 15-minute documentary 'Azad Nagar', shot in a 'rehabilitation site' of liberated bonded labourers from a stone quarry in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh, shows that they have become more vulnerable after their release. They have no access to any other jobs and have to work in the same stone quarries for nominal wages.

The other 13-minute film 'Gulamnagar' is a touching documentation of the plight of bonded labourers in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan. Both point to the failure of the government machinery in implementing the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 which had banned bonded labour way back in the 1980s.

When the collector of Vidisha was asked in the film on denial of basic amenities to the freed bonded labourers and the continuing practice, he expressed ignorance. Existence of bonded labour in marble mines at Chittorgarh was news for the Sub-Divisional Magistrate.

The documentaries bring out the presence of a well-structured and meticulously planned mechanism to exploit the tribals by extension of credit. It is always extended for non-productive purposes like marriage and death and denied for productive purposes like business and commerce. The worst kind of physical assault is perpetrated on the poor workers with their women and children subjected to even sexual violence.

The workers such private mines are paid wages as low as Rs 25 for two days while the minimum wage fixed by the Government is Rs 63.

Being unaware of the much publicised National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) which guarantees 100 days of employment.

Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes, present at the screening, minced no words about the failure of government machinery during the open discussion that followed. He, however, maintained that NREGS would be able to check bonded labour.

Mr Indu Prakash Singh of the NGO 'Action Aid' talked about the insensitivity of the government officials and suggested ways to make them more accountable.

The films are produced by Centre for Education and Communication, New Delhi in collaboration with The Information and Feature Trust(TIFT). These were shot in February and March this year.

UNI