23 bonded labourers rescued from sugarcane farm

The rescue took place following a tip-off from the NGO ‘National Adivasi Solidarity Council’ that bonded labourers were engaged in sugarcane cutting areas surrounding Kurungulam village. Officials including Thanjavur Tahsildar rushed to a sugarcane farm in Kurungulam East village where they found the labourers working.

The labourers told them they were hired by M Sekar of Tiruvadigai in Cuddalore, and that they were paid an advance between Rs 10,000 and Rs 60,000. However, they said they were being given pittance as wage.

One of the labourers, R Sathya (35) from Villupuram, said she was taken as bonded labourer for the advance paid to her parents, who died recently. “For paying back the loan, me along with my husband and children had to work as bonded labourer,” said Sathya, who has been working there for over 20 years.

The officials said the labourers were made to stay on the field itself and the agent’s henchmen accompanied them whenever they visited their native place, to prevent them from escaping.

Following the production of the bonded labourers, RDO C Suresh issued release certificates to all of them and their debt were written off. Sekar, the agent, has been absconding.