Bhubaneswar: Expressing displeasure over the enquiry report of Ranga Reddy district administration in Telangana regarding the alleged torture meted out to a few bonded labourers from Odisha, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered its investigation wing to probe the allegation and submit the report by December 30.
The NHRC directive came while hearing a plea filed by rights activist Dillip Kumar Das. In his petition, Das had informed the commission that as many as eight persons, including two minor girls, of Ichhapur in Kalahandi district were engaged at a brick kiln at Dandeikel in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana in 2018. The owner of the brick kiln allegedly used to torture the labourers. Unable to bear the harassment, Arun Patra and his wife who worked as labourers managed to escape the clutches of the brick kiln owner and reached their native, Das said in his compliant.
The NHRC had earlier asked the district magistrates of Ranga Reddy and Kalahandi to file the ‘action taken’ reports in connection with the allegation, January 28. The authorities of Ranga Reddy district submitted a report with the commission, Kalahandi authorities, however, did not pay heed to the orders.
In its report, the Ranga Reddy district authorities informed the commission that the labour department officials visited the brick kiln and concluded that Patra had been working through a contractor and fled the spot by lying and that neither Patra nor any other labourer was being tortured at the brick kiln.
The commission, however, expressed annoyance over the response of the Ranga Reddy district Labour department and termed the report as ‘fabricated’.
Raising objections, the NHRC questioned, “Why spot enquiry was conducted after 10 days and not immediately. Further, when the brick kiln owner failed to produce the relevant records, then why presumption has not been drawn that it is a case of bonded labour. As per statement of Patra, he was exploited at the site. Then why his statement was not taken seriously and why the statement of other labourers working at the brick kiln was not enclosed along with report. Besides, no report of police has been enclosed along with in the matter.”
The commission has also asked the Kalahandi Collector to appear before it in person in case of failure to submit the enquiry report by December 24.