CUTTACK:
The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice of Odisha High Court Justice V
Gopal Gowda and Justice BN Mohapatra passed an order on the PIL on Friday
directing the Collector, Kendrapara to take preventive action on commitment of
offence on SC families, provide relief to the victims, inquire and take action
if bonded labour system is prevailing.
The PIL was filed by Odisha Goti
Mukti Andoalan represented through its adviser Baghambar Pattanaik on July 28
this year and pleaded in person before the Court.
The subject matter of the case is
that 11 families of washer man caste of the village Badabaincha under
Mahakalpada police station in the district were socially and economically
boycotted by the upper caste villagers for refusing to render customary service
of washer clothes with a nominal wage. A complaint given by Niranjan Sethi of
the village was registered in Mahakalpada police station FIR No-66 (6)
dt.9.6.11 u/s 294/506/34 IPC and 3 (i) (x) (xiv) SC/ST (PA) Act. They were even
if prevented from paddy-threshing mill, grocery shop and local medicine store
etc. Their life-style became precarious.
Having received the information
the representatives of various social action groups namely Odisha Goti Mukti
Andolan, Ambedkar Lohia Vichar Manch and CSNR visited the spot and filed a
petition before the Collector, Kendrapara on June 27 last year to release 11
washer man families of the village from bonded labour system after enquiry
adhering to the circulars issued by Government of Odisha in Panchayati Raj
Department from time to time.
They also filed petitions to the
Kendrapara Collector and the SP on June 27 last for restoration of feelings of
security among the victims by taking preventive action on the basis of circular
No.6156 dt.24.11.2010 issued by the Additional DG of Police, HRPC, Odisha
Cuttack in which the perpetrators were to be asked to execute bond for their
good behaviour.
But the Collector remained silent
on the petition filed by social action groups. In the mean time the Odisha High
Court in WP(C) No.7738/11 dt.18.1.12 in the case of Baghambar Pattanaik vrs
Union of India and others gave a direction to the Collectors of Puri, Cuttack,
Khurda and Jagatsinghpur to adhere certain guidelines for inquiry on release of
bonded labourers. The copy of the direction was also provided to the Collector
for conducting enquiry on bonded labour.
In order to activate the
Collector to adhere to the circulars and directions, the PIL was filed in
Odisha High Court which was disposed of on Friday.
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