Training Prog For Revenue Dept Staffs
The Collector, V. Palanikumar, on Thursday inaugurated a training programme for the revenue department staff on conducting census to enumerate the bonded labourers in various trades. Revenue Department staff from Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Salem, Erode, Namakkal, Karur, Krishnagiri and Nilgiri districts took part in the training programme.Revenue Department staff from Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Salem, Erode, Namakkal,Karur, Krishnagiri and Nilgiri districts took part in the training programme.
Inaugurating the training programme organised by the Adi-dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, Mr. Palanikumar said that though statistics were available on bonded labour practices, the State Government had embarked on a second round of census to ascertain the exact situation prevailing now.
The revenue department staff – Revenue Divisional Officers, tahsildars, Adi-dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department officials and NGOs and other field staff drafted for this purpose will conduct the census from May 1 and complete the same in two months. He asked the staff undergoing the training to remember that any action by government servants/officers are bound by and expected to function within the frame work of law. Those involved in bonded labour abolition should remember that all are equal before law irrespective of their economic and community status.
In order to ensure dignity and freedom even for the poor, the Bonded Labour Abolition Act was enacted by the Parliament in 1976, he reminded the officials. Forced labour at cheaper wages curtailing individual liberty has to be dealt with firmly, he said. According to a Supreme Court directive in 1997, the two member commission that conducted a study across the entire State of Tamil Nadu had concluded that 20 trades had bonded labour practices.In Coimbatore district, so far 3,260 bonded labourers had been identified and had been provided with Rs. 3.21 crore. So far, 114 people had been punished.
