DCW concerned about unregulated mushrooming of placement

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal has written to Delhi Labour minister Gopal Rai about the unregulated mushrooming of private placement agencies in the National Capital and alleged they play a role in human trafficking.
Maliwal has also written to the Labour Commissioner and has sought to know the current status of the implementation of the order on regulation of private placement agencies which was issued on September 25, 2014 by the Labour department.
"During our visits to Nari Niketan and GB Road, we learnt that most women there had been brought from their home towns by placement agencies on the pretext of giving jobs and were then sold off to work in brothels or houses as domestic workers.

"The role of placement agencies in facilitating this abuse is further highlighted in the recent case of two Nepalese nationals who were allegedly raped and forced to work in the house of a Saudi Diplomat. It is evident that unregulated placement agencies play a key role in human trafficking in India," Maliwal said in her letter to Rai.
She further said that DCW will take up the issue of implementation of the order in mission mode and the Commission will take action against erring placement agencies.
"The order also mandates DCW to take action against erring placement agencies and direct payment of minimum wages to domestic workers. However, it is sad to note that hardly any work has been done by the previous Commission in this regard.

"The Delhi Commission for Women will now take up the implementation of the order on priority and wishes to closely work with the Labour Department in a mission mode on the same," Malilal said.

In her letter to Labour Commissioner she sought the detailed list of placement agencies registered with the Labour Department till date and whether they have obtained licences to operate such private agencies from the office of the District Labour Commissioner.
She also sought to know the current status of uploading this information on the website and the details of instances of where penalty has been imposed on placement agencies for non-compliance of the order by the Labour department under Section 7 of the order.

She has called for the details latest within 10 days of receipt of the letter.