New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian will preside over an online hearing on July 9 to address 86 cases of alleged bonded labour in brick kilns across Haryana, an official said on Tuesday.
The Commission has directed the State Chief Secretary or his nominee, Labour Commissioner, along with all District Magistrates (DMs) concerned, to be present during the online hearing, the official said in a statement.
“The authorities are expected to present detailed reports on the actions taken, including the identification and release of bonded labourers as well as their registration on the e-Shram portal, a central platform for unorganised workers,” the NHRC said.
The hearing will focus on the assessment of the action taken by the DMs on the complaints sent to them by the NHRC, along with the status of compliance with the provisions of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, and the orders of the Supreme Court in the Bandhua Mukti Morcha and Asiad Workers’ cases, among other related issues.
The Commission will also review the status of rehabilitation packages, including financial aid, skill training and alternate livelihoods, the progress of e-Shram portal registrations to secure social security benefits for rescued labourers and the measures taken to prevent recurrence in the identified districts, the statement said.
The virtual hearing underscores the NHRC’s commitment to eradicating bonded labour and ensuring strict compliance with the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976.
The Supreme Court had assigned the monitoring compliance of this Act and court orders to the NHRC on May 11, 1997.
Earlier in April, the NHRC held an online hearing of 216 cases of alleged bonded labour in the brick kilns across various districts of Uttar Pradesh.
The virtual hearing was presided over by Justice Ramasubramanian.
–IANS
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