88 bonded labourers rescued in Punjab

Nearly 88 bonded labourers, including 25 children and 29 women, were rescued today from a brick-kiln near Mirpur Jattan here, a district official said today.
They were rescued by a four-member team comprising the tehsildar, a police official, the labour inspector and the District Child Protection Officer (DCPO).
DCPO Kanchan Arora said the kiln's owner, who fled from the spot during the raid, was paying each of the victim just Rs 1,000 a month for the past one year.
This was a gross violation of labour department norms, she said.
The owner owes Rs 40.50 lakh to the "migratory" labourers, the DCPO said, adding appropriate proceedings had been initiated against the accused.

"Arrangements will be made to send the freed bonded labourers to their homes in Uttar Pradesh's Muzzaffarnagar," Arora said.
Members of the Haryana Child Protection Commission and the Delhi-based National Campaign Committee for Eradication of Bonded Labour were also present during the raid, she said.
The raid was conducted following a complaint received by the National Campaign Committee, the DCPO said.