PRINCE KUMAR
Ranchi, Dec 2: The state administration is ready to protect the interests of the people of Jharkhand who have gone to work in different states of the country following the instructions of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. In this sequence, 16 workers of Chaibasa, who were held hostage in the Ice Island of Andhra Pradesh, have been freed due to the efforts of the state government. All the workers are being brought back to Jharkhand.
According to sources, workers of Andhra Pradesh were taken hostage on the pretext of job in Ice Island. On getting information about the matter, the CM directed the Labor Superintendent of Chaibasa and the State Migrant Control Room of the Labor Department, Jharkhand to bring the workers back to their homes without delay.
As per his instructions, the Migrant Control Room coordinated with the Andhra Pradesh authorities. After this, the team of Andhra Pradesh Police and the Labor Department there raided and freed the workers.
A contractor had taken the workers to Andhra Pradesh in the name of getting good jobs. On reaching there all the workers were moved here and there. Then they were engaged in fish farming in Ice Island and were made to work for 22 hours a day.
According to the workers, they were made to work even at night and were abused and beaten up if they did not go to work. They were not provided the basic amenities like clean drinking water and food.
The frustrated workers told the contractor that they will not work in such conditions and want to return to Jharkhand. On this, the contractor misbehaved with them, stopped their food and wages and were taken hostage.
On the initiative of the State Migrant Control Room, the workers have been paid total wages of Rs 48,000 for 15 days. All the workers have left for Jharkhand by train from Vijayawada station on the morning of December 2. The workers have expressed their gratitude to Chief Minister Hemant Soren and the state government.
