Ranchi, July 2: The Jharkhand High Court has ordered that nearly 300 bonded laborers, freed from various districts of Uttar Pradesh 34 years ago, should receive benefits from government welfare schemes.
The court emphasized that individuals liberated from bonded labor must receive their rights, and directed the Deputy Commissioner of Garhwa to take necessary actions. This directive came during a hearing of a public interest petition filed by Ghyanshyam Pathak of the Janhit Seva Pratishthan.
The petition highlighted that in 1992, around 300 bonded laborers were released from different districts in Uttar Pradesh, many of whom now reside in Garhwa district. Despite this, they have not yet benefited from rehabilitation provisions under the Bonded Labor System (Abolition) Act of 1976, nor from government schemes related to housing, health, employment, and pensions.
This public interest petition was filed in 2023. During the hearings, the court repeatedly sought responses from the relevant authorities. The petitioner’s lawyer informed the court that over the past three years, officials had only engaged in correspondence but had failed to take concrete actions to provide relief to the laborers. He stated that instead of progressing the case, only formalities were being completed.
In response, the High Court made a stern remark, stating that such delays in granting rights to eligible individuals are unacceptable. The court instructed the Deputy Commissioner of Garhwa to identify all eligible laborers and ensure they are connected to the benefits available under the Bonded Labor Act and other government schemes.
The bench also clarified that mere paperwork would not suffice. It is essential that those entitled to assistance under the law actually receive the tangible benefits.
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