The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Union government to hold a meeting with all States and Union Territories of the country and formulate a proposal to address the issue of inter-state trafficking of bonded labourers, including minors.
The Bench of Justice B R Gavai and Justice K V Viswanathan passed the order on a petition seeking enforcement of fundamental rights of people trafficked as bonded labourers.
The top court of the country perused the figures placed on record regarding immediate financial assistance disbursed to bonded labourers, which showed that in Uttar Pradesh, of the 5,264 bonded labourers released, only 1,101 had received immediate financial assistance.
Noting that over 4,100 released bonded labourers had not received financial assistance, the Bench called the figures alarming.
It observed that the problem was in the disbursal of immediate financial assistance to the rescued children as in some cases, minors were taken from their home states and forced into bonded labour in adjoining states.
The issue of inter-state trafficking of children must be addressed in a unified manner, said the Apex Court and directed the Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment to have a meeting with his counterparts in all States & Union Territories of the country and formulate a proposal to address the social evil.
The Bench told the Central government that the proposal should comprise a simplified procedure to assist the scheme of providing immediate financial assistance to the rescued child labourers, adding that the Union of India should also take on board the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), while finalising the procedure.
It further sought assistance of Attorney General R Venkataramani in the case and listed the matter for further hearing after six weeks.
The Counsel appearing for the petitioners raised the issue regarding immediate disbursal of financial assistance to the rescued bonded labourers.
The lawyer appearing for the State of Uttar Pradesh said that the district-wise data, along with the number of bonded labourers released and the disbursements made to them has been compiled and would shortly be placed on record.
The Apex Court asked the state about the procedure it was following to prevent bonded labour. The Counsel replied that he would place on record the procedure being followed in Uttar Pradesh.
The Counsel representing the petitioners said that it was an inter-state issue as there were cases wherein people from Bihar were taken to Uttar Pradesh for bonded labour.
The Apex Court then directed the Secretary of the Ministry concerned to hold a meeting with his counterparts in all the States & Union Territories and come out with a unified formula applicable to all.
In the digital era, there should be a portal akin to the one pertaining to missing children, observed the Bench, and directed the Union of India to find a unified procedure.