Mysuru: Zilla Panchayat (ZP) and District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) had organised a training programme on Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act – 1976 for Officers at the ZP auditorium here on Thursday.

About 50 Tahsildars, Executive Officers of Taluk Panchayats and Panchayat Development Officers of Gram Panchayats participated in the programme who were groomed on the Act by resource person Kiran Kamal Prasad, Member, National Human Rights Commission.

Inaugurating the training programme, Principal District and Sessions Judge and DLSA Chairman S.K. Vontigodi observed that cases of bonded labour had come down drastically now. He asked the Officers of Gram and Taluk Panchayats to be extra vigilant to detect cases of bonded labour in villages. He contended that such labour was a sheer violation of Human Rights.

Speaking as the chief guest, DLSA Member-Secretary B.P. Devamane recalled that in villages children used to work as bonded labours for a default in repaying loan taken by their father. Though such cases have diminished now, he asked the rural Officers to be thorough regarding protection of human rights and the Act against bonded labour.

Presiding over the programme, Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar observed that a few cases of bonded labour had been detected in Hunsur Sub-Division. He said that rural Officers have more strength and authority now as they can book Suo-Moto cases for violation of Bonded Labour Act. 

He added that the people freed from bonded labour should be properly rehabilitated to meaningfully complete the process.

ZP CEO K. Jyothi, Additional SP Sneha, ZP Deputy Secretary (Development) Dr. M. Krishnaraju and others were present.