New Delhi: 7th March, 2014
The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that because of debt bondage, more that 3 lakh migrant workers of Odisha were tied to brick kilns in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. They may not be able to cast their vote for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls to be held in the State on the April 10th and 17th, 2014.
Reportedly, these labourers are from the western districts of Odisha. They would have to work at brick kiln till mid June because they had taken loans from labour agents with the promise to work from November to June.
The Commission has observes that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of labourers and has issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka calling for a factual report within two weeks.
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