Forced Labour Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

 

Forced Labour

Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

It was not that their labour was not paid for, but due to certain economic and social conditions and circumstances they had to work hard even against their will so as to earn their bread daily. Debu a young man of 19 years of age, had to line up daily at 9 a.m at the labour market near the railway crossing of the town so as to get work so that he can earn two meal a day for himself and his family of others. He made it a point to rise up early in the morning despite the weariness of hard work of earlier day so that he reaches in time in the labour market to get the work. Whenever he was slightly late he sometimes had to come empty handed in the evening without adding anything to the income of his family. He used to be in stress if he did not get any job even for a couple of days. He had to get up early to do hard work from dawn till dusk and he could not afford to take leave from his work because he had to feed a family of his parents and two unmarried sisters. So family circumstances forced him to work hard daily even if he had to do unwillingly. His father was unable to contribute anything to the income of the family as he was ailing from some chronic disease that had disabled him lifelong. Though Debu’s mother worked as domestic servant in the neighbourhood but her income was inadequate to assure two square meal a day for the family. Even in shivering cold winters or scorching summers he could not afford to take a break from his job and his parents and his sisters looked at him for security and food, so he was inspired to get up early in the morning and prepared to do hard work throughout the day, under the prying eyes of the contractor who did not allow him to take respite even for a minute except during the one hour break of lunch, and even during this break he used to order him to clean the implements used in construction work.

Another labour who was forced to work to the market daily unwillingly was a lady of 40 years of age named Mena Devi. Her life was even harder than Debu as she had to look after the needs of her family too besides working hard throughout the day so as to insure decent evening meal for her family. Her day started at 4 a.m in the morning and complete household chores like cleaning, washing clothes, cooking meals for her family, sweeping the house and the like. After doing all this work she had to be punctual in the labour market or there was risk of not getting the job that which would bring financial crisis on the family. She did not get respite even after working for seven hours a day because when she returned back to her house in the evening she had to repeat all things that she did in the morning like cooking meals, brooming and washing utensils. She use to get bed to stretch her body not before 11 p.m in the night. She had to undergo this ordeal daily due to her good for nothing drunkard husband who did not contribute anything to the income of the family. Besides that she also had to feed her three children at least twice a day. There was no respite for her from the routine and then Contractor gave less wages to women and children under 18 years of age which further enhanced her economic problems. That is why she prayed daily to make her children to earn for themselves at least as early as possible, so that she can take respite form her arduous routine occasionally. Whenever she saw the faces of her children that inspired her to undergo strict ordeal that she had to face daily in order to earn bread for her family lest all of them would have to sleep empty stomach.