Labourers allege bonded labour at brick kilns in Una, allege abuse by owners

UNA—In a shocking case of alleged bonded labour at two brick kilns in Una district, labourers have accused the owners of forcing them to labour under harsh conditions. The labourers filed a memorandum against the owners of the brick kilns before the Una sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), detailing their experiences of being abused and held hostage.

According to the labourers, electric wires have been installed at the boundaries of the brick kilns at Janakpur and Raipur Sahodha so that they and their families cannot go out without the permission of the owners. Some even reported that when their children fell sick, they were denied treatment. The labourers said they have not been allowed to move freely and at times were not even given essentials like food.

Three labourers from Saharanpur who managed to escape narrated their ordeal to the SDM. They said that about three weeks ago, 12 labourers were brought by the contractor along with their families to work at the brick kilns. Soon after their arrival, the kiln owners allegedly started restricting their movement and ignored their requests to return home.

“The conditions became unbearable. We were not given adequate ration and were forced to stay in the area, with no help even for sick children,” said a labourer. They further alleged that the kiln owners threatened them that they would be beaten up if they tried to leave.

The administration, led by SDM Vishwa Mohan Dev Chauhan, acted immediately following the complaint. A team of Una police, labour officer and Naib Tehsildar was sent to the kilns and rescued 30 people, including labourers and their families.

“We have rescued the labourers and their families and the administration is conducting a thorough investigation into all the facts of the case,” SDM Chauhan said.

The labourers have accused the kiln owners of serious abuses, including threats of violence and restricting basic human rights. The administration is now working on gathering more evidence to hold the owners accountable. In the meantime, the rescued families are being looked after, and officials are considering legal action against the owners involved in these alleged human rights violations.