By The Hindu Bureau
Copyright thehindu
Volunteers of the Rural Organization for Poverty Eradication Services (ROPES), along with Revenue and Police officials, rescued 23 bonded labourers from brick kilns in Getrallamitta, Nangamangalam of Gudipala mandal in Chittoor district, on Thursday (September 25) night.
Among the rescued were 18 workers from Tamil Nadu and five from the Bangarupalem mandal in Chittoor district. The rescued eight families had been trapped in exploitative conditions in kilns for over a decade, the officials said.
On the directives of District Collector Sumit Kumar and Joint Collector G. Vidyadhari, the rescue team led by ROPES chairperson K. Dhanasekharan and Tehsildar (Gudipala mandal) led the operation and rescued the bonded labourers. Later, all the 23 workers were shifted to the Gudipala MRO office, where they were temporarily sheltered for the night and provided with food, haircuts, new clothes, and ₹5,000 per family. Revenue Divisional Officer M. Srinivasulu issued them release certificates.
On Friday (September 26) morning, the ROPES volunteers arranged the safe transportation of the families to their native villages of Vellore district in TN and Bangarupalem in Chittoor district. Dr. Dhanasekharan said that the ROPES would provide dry rations for the families for the next couple of weeks. “We will coordinate with the Tamil Nadu government to ensure long-term rehabilitation of the victims,” he said.
The Joint Collector assured the victims of full government support, including rehabilitation and education for their children.
