Bonded Labour Rescue in West Bengal
Why in news?
Three individuals, including two children, were rescued as bonded labourers from a cold storage facility in Alipurduar district, West Bengal.
Key points
- One adult male and two 16-year-old minors were rescued.
- The victims were working in a cold storage facility under exploitative conditions.
- Preliminary indicators of bonded labour, such as restricted movement and withheld wages, were observed.
- An FIR was registered under the Bonded Labour Act, 1972, and the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita.
- The adult victim was recruited through an advance payment of ₹25,000 and had been working for 25 years.
Background & context
Bonded labour is a form of forced labour where a debtor works for a creditor for a specified period or until the debt is repaid. India ratified the International Labour Organization's (ILO) Forced Labour Convention in 1954. The Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, aims to abolish this practice.
★ Prelims fact capsule
The rescued victims were found working in a cold storage facility in Alipurduar district, West Bengal.
✎ Mains relevance
GS Paper I (Social Issues) - Vulnerable sections of the population, social evils, human trafficking. GS Paper II (Governance) - Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections, laws and institutions for the protection of vulnerable sections.