T he National Human Rights Commission organised a day long Workshop on 'Elimination of Bonded Labour' in collaboration with the Government of Bihar in Patna on the 21st July, 2017. Justice Shri D. Murugesan, Member, NHRC inaugurated and chaired the Workshop. He said that the main purpose of such workshops is to make aware the district level officials, particularly, the District Magistrates about the provisions of the Bonded Labour System (Prohibition) Act, 1976 and sensitize them about the importance of the issue. He said that the District Magistrates have been given vast powers under the Act to work towards elimination of bonded labour system. They can summarily dispose bonded labour cases through trials in a very short span of time with the assistance from the officers of the Labour department.
Shri Vijay Prakash, Minister of Labour Resources Department, Government of Bihar, affirmed the commitment of the State Government towards the elimination of bonded labour system.
Justice Murugesan also heard 11 cases registered in the Commission on bonded labour concerning Bihar.
The participants of the Workshop included senior officers of the Government of Bihar, State Human Rights Commission of Bihar, NGOs and representatives of brick kilns, stone crushing and other related industries. Academicians, research scholars and final year law students from Universities in Bihar were also invited to attend the Workshop.
Apart from the District level officers, the State Labour officers, members of vigilance committees, representatives of brick kilns, stone crushing and other related industries were also familiarized and sensitized with the process of identification, release and rehabilitation of bonded labourers as per the provisions of Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 and related laws. The Commission has organized 40 workshops on elimination of bonded labour so far.