Wed Feb 05 21:20:00 UTC 2025: **Bonded Labor Persists in Andhra Pradesh Despite Legal Abolition**
VISAKHAPATNAM, Andhra Pradesh – Fifty years after India outlawed bonded labor, the practice continues to plague some districts of Andhra Pradesh and other states, a recent interaction with freed laborers revealed. Three former bonded laborers, including two women, shared harrowing tales of exploitation and abuse at an event organized by Jeevan Jwala, an association dedicated to rescuing bonded laborers.
The individuals, who were freed with the help of government and non-governmental organizations, described years of forced labor to repay loans initially taken by their families. One woman recounted being sold to a brothel in Delhi at the age of 12 after her family’s debt to a stone crusher owner. Another described carrying rice bags at night from a young age, witnessing his sister die while working at the same rice mill, and the subsequent death of his seven-year-old nephew in an alleged accident near the mill.
R. Suneel Kumar, executive secretary of Social Activities for Rural Development Society (SARDS), highlighted the formation of a Vigilance Committee to combat the issue, urging better coordination among government agencies to rescue victims and provide alternative employment opportunities. Social workers also emphasized Jeevan Jwala’s ongoing efforts in this fight. The stories underscore the continued struggle against bonded labor despite its legal prohibition.
First Piper 