Bonded Labour Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
During an interview with a victim of bonded labour, the excruciating tales of having to live under slavery are narrated. The families living under bonded labour have to live as slaves and serve the brick kiln owners. The brick kiln owners are massive exploiters and they don’t pay the workers according to the work taken from them.
The victim told that he has 3 daughters; one of them is married now. However, due to his impoverished state, he wasn’t able to give any dowry for his daughter’s wedding. He works hard at the brick kiln site day in and day out. He is not able to make ends meet and there are days when he can’t even afford to eat a single meal. He has the responsibility to feed his children. But due to the poor condition in which he lives, it isn’t possible to even provide a decent standard of living.
It is an extremely sad situation faced with the bonded labour workers. When will their misery end? The law has been in place since 1992 but it is not being filtered down to its implementation. The man told that he has to pay off a debt of Rs 40,000 for which his wife and daughters work along side to him. Although, he wants to send his children off to school but it is not possible as they have to work at the brick kiln sites. The rate decided by the Government is Rs 517 but they pay the workers less and in fact keep a certain amount in their own pockets. This is downright exploitation that goes unquestioned. These people earn on a daily wage basis and if it rains on a certain day and they cant work then they remain deprived of the wage for that day. It is not possible to survive on a meager amount. Who will put some sense into the heartless owners, who advertently remain oblivious of the problems faced by the bounded labour workers.
The victim told that he has 3 daughters; one of them is married now. However, due to his impoverished state, he wasn’t able to give any dowry for his daughter’s wedding. He works hard at the brick kiln site day in and day out. He is not able to make ends meet and there are days when he can’t even afford to eat a single meal. He has the responsibility to feed his children. But due to the poor condition in which he lives, it isn’t possible to even provide a decent standard of living.
It is an extremely sad situation faced with the bonded labour workers. When will their misery end? The law has been in place since 1992 but it is not being filtered down to its implementation. The man told that he has to pay off a debt of Rs 40,000 for which his wife and daughters work along side to him. Although, he wants to send his children off to school but it is not possible as they have to work at the brick kiln sites. The rate decided by the Government is Rs 517 but they pay the workers less and in fact keep a certain amount in their own pockets. This is downright exploitation that goes unquestioned. These people earn on a daily wage basis and if it rains on a certain day and they cant work then they remain deprived of the wage for that day. It is not possible to survive on a meager amount. Who will put some sense into the heartless owners, who advertently remain oblivious of the problems faced by the bounded labour workers.