FAQ

End bonded labour? Does that mean it still exists? Is it a crime? I thought this practice ended with the medieval times. But, in this day and age, who employs bonded labourers? When you come across this website, we are sure you are bound to have such questions. So, to help you understand this heinous crime, we have created a list of Frequently Asked Questions. You can find out the laws against bonded labour, know where bonded labourers are usually employed, understand what is bonded labour and learn how you can help.

What is bonded labour?

Bonded labour is a form of forced labour where due to a debt or other obligation, the labourer forfeits certain freedoms and rights. This leaves them vulnerable to many abuses including physical, sexual and mental abuse.

Wasn’t bonded labour abolished a long time ago?

Bonded labour was abolished in 1976. However, it is still thriving in many industries under different names and forms. It is, in fact, growing at an alarming rate with vulnerable people being trafficked across states and being held in bondage working in places where they know no one and do not speak the language leaving them unable to seek help.  However, people continue to be bonded in their own home towns/nearby districts too.

Is employing bonded labour illegal?

Yes, India has specific laws on the books outlawing bonded labour and regulating fair labour practices including…

In addition, Articles 21, 23, 39, 42, and 43 of the Constitution of India, all include regulations and prohibitions related to bonded labour.

What are the consequences if found guilty of employing bonded labour?

Employers convicted of bonded labour and abuses surrounding the crime of bonded labour have received sentences as long as seven years and were fined as much as Rs. 1,07,000.

How do I recognise bonded labour?

These are a few indicators that someone may be trapped in a bonded labour situation…

  • They are not being paid a salary or their salary is lower than the minimum wage
  • They are not allowed to move freely in and out of the facility except under the supervision of the owner.
  • They are not allowed to work elsewhere or not allowed to go home without paying off the advance.
  • They are threatened/abused if they try to leave.

Is bonded labour a form of human trafficking?

Yes. It involves harbouring a person for the purpose of exploitation.

What should I do when I see it?

Report it to the police. Bonded labour is a crime and should be reported as such.

What can I do to help?

  • Educate yourself and those around you on how to recognize bonded labour and report it when you see it.
  • Use #EndBondedLabour on social media to spread the word that bonded labour is a crime that needs to stop. Feel free to tweet at us @EndBondedLabour or contact us on Faceboook to send us any bonded labour related news or incidents.
  • Call the police and report if you suspect that you or someone you observe are in a bonded labour situation.

What are the specific industries/occupations in which bonded labour has been found?

Bonded labour can be found in any industry. Here are some industries we know labourers have been rescued from:

  • Agarbhatti factories
  • Agricultural farms, Plantations
  • Anklet making Factory
  • Auto ancillary units
  • Bag making factory
  • Bakery
  • Beedi Factories
  • Bhindi making factory
  • Blue metals/Crushers
  • Bore-well digging
  • Brick Kilns
  • Bulb making factory
  • Cable (Digging)
  • Canal Construction
  • Cardboard making factory
  • Casuarina farm
  • Cattle grazing
  • Charcoal Unit
  • Coffee Plantation.
  • Construction sites
  • Consultancy Services
  • Cotton Mill
  • Dairy Farm
  • Dhabas
  • Domestic/house labour
  • Egg Tray factory
  • Embroidery unit
  • Eucalyptus farm
  • Firecracker Factory
  • Fish farming
  • Fish farming
  • Flower Garden
  • Fly ash brick making unit
  • Food Processing Unit
  • Footwear factory
  • Garment Factory
  • Goat rearing
  • Hollow blocks (concrete)
  • Horticulture Unit
  • Mango grove
  • Marble, Granite factories
  • Mat making unit
  • Murukku unit
  • Music Band
  • Paani Puri making unit
  • Plastic Factory
  • Poultry Farm
  • Power Loom
  • Prawn hatchery
  • Restaurants & Eateries
  • Rice Mill
  • Road works
  • Rock Quarries
  • Rose farm
  • Salt works
  • Sheep Grazing
  • Silk breeding farms
  • Spare parts manufacturing
  • Spinning Mill