Nanital HC orders local authorities to rehabilitate rescued labourers in a five-year-old case

At least 18 bonded labourers, who were rescued in 2014 from Mogga district in Punjab, let out a huge sigh of relief after the Nanital High Court ordered the local authorities to ensure their rehabilitation. These labours have been deprived of their basic rights from past five years. These bonded labours were rescued by Bandhua Mukhti Morcha and these labours were sent to Haridwar. However, the local authorities didn't follow up on their rehabilitation as per the new scheme. Last month, social activist Nirmal Gorana and advocate Snigdha Tiwari associated with Socio-Legal Information Centre (SLIC) filed a petition in Nanital High Court to ensure that these labours get rehabilitation as per new scheme. Advocate Snigdha Tiwari further pointed out that the Bonded Labour Rehabilitation Scheme 2016 is not being implemented on state level and demanded the same from the court. Advocate Snigdha Tiwari said that Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Narayan heard the petition filed by Nirmal Gorana. The double bench while hearing the petition ordered the state government to ensure that these labours get interim relief amount of Rs 20,000 and rehabilitate as per the new scheme for bonded labours. The local authorities were asked to submit the report within four weeks.