4 labourers rescued from brick factory

Four labourers, hailing from Odisha, were rescued from a brick kiln in Sarjapur, off  Anekal, on Friday morning. 

The two men and two women were working in Banidhi brick factory for the past four years. They have been identified as Raskil Bhoik, 25, Tulasa Barik, 35, her son Mada Barik, 17 and Basanti Chanda, 45.  Basanti’s one-year-old daughter Nisa Chanda was also rescued. 

A team comprising officials from labour department, revenue department, State Human Rights Commission and the local tahsildar, along with Action for Social Justice, an NGO, rescued the labourers. 

One of the labourers said that they were promised Rs 500 for making 1,000 bricks but were paid only about Rs 300 per week. "Every day, we used to work from 7 am to 4 pm while Mada Barik would work during the night as well," she said. 

When enquired whether they were made to work extra hours or paid less, Basanti said that the pay they were getting for the work was meagre and her husband Beerendra Chand had fled from the factory a month ago. 

The NGO workers said that Beerendra, who had fled to Odisha, complained to the district labour officer regarding their work at the factory. “The officer then contacted our organisation in Odisha, which later alerted us a few days ago,” said a member of the NGO. 

Following the tip-off, the team of officials went to the brick factory and rescued the labourers. The factory is owned by Madhu and a complaint would soon be registered against him, said an official who was part of the team.