Bonded labourers turn brick kiln owners

The story of a group of villagers in Tiruvattur district of Tamil Nadu was of agony, pain and poverty and they shrug when the old bonded labour days pass through their minds. They were bonded labourers in brick kilns as well as in tree cutting for several years until they were rescued by social activists and the district administration.

Thanks to the timely help and support of the Tiruvattur district collector, DrAlby John, 'Siragugal Bricks', a brick kiln company in which 300 former bonded labourers are owners was formed in Veeraganallur village, around 80 km from Chennai.

Govindhammal (40) and her husband Venkatesh were bonded labourers for ten years in a brick kiln along with the family. They had borrowed Rs 15,000 from the owner of a brick kiln who made them work for ten years until they were rescued by Ranipet RDO with the support of NGOs like IJM in 2018. They were excellent brick kiln workers but jobs were rare and most of the time the family was in dire straits.

When John joined as District Collector of Tiruvattur he conducted a study on the society and found that there were people in dire straits who did not have jobs to maintain their families. He found that they were good at brick making as well as tree cutting as some of these bonded labourers had worked as tree cutters.

He tried to do something different for them to get a fixed income and at the same time be independent. He decided to form a brick kiln company with 300 former brick kiln and tree cutting workers as joint owners under the Tamil Nadu Rural Livelihood mission. This led to the formation of 'Siragugal Bricks' or Bricks with Wings.Alby John told IANS, "These people were extremely talented and we thought that we could make use of their expertise and in turn provide them a regular income and they can be independent. The government infused the working capital and they don't have any financial burden. They are the owners of this brick kiln and they will now become financially independent and will get a steady income."The Tiruvattur district administration pumped in Rs 5. 83 lakhs to form a Self Help Group and identified two acres of land for the brick kiln. Water for the brick kiln has also been arranged.

John said that the bricks made by 'Siragugal Bricks' will be bought for constructing homes under the Central government's PradhanMantriAwasYojna leading to a regular income for the company and thereby the 300 people who are the joint owners.

Helen Barnabas, who is with the NGO, International Justice Mission (IJM) and who identified the brick kiln workers and tree cutters told IANS, "We have identified them and had earlier rescued these people from bonded labour. The project funding for the Siragugal Bricks was done through the Tamil Nadu Rural Livelihood Mission and it was only due to the efforts of Tiruvattur district collector Alby John that the project has materialized and people who were deprived of all the basic necessities got wings."

Govindhammal said, "I was a bonded labourer for ten years along with my husband Venkatesh and even after coming out of this, I did not have any money to sustain myself and my family. Now I am looking up to life and all thanks to the district collector and Helen Madam who have helped us move forward. In fact, the name of the company is apt, we have got wings and we will now fly."

John said that of the 300 people,60 are woodcutters whose skill will be used to cut 'KattuKaruvalan trees' which is an invasive species and can be used as fuel in brick kilns. The 300 people who are the owners of Siragugal Bricks will work in shifts. The district administration is also planning to construct a shed and is waiting for MNREGA funds to support this.This project started at the behest of a government officer can be a game-changer for several other social initiatives to come up in Tamil Nadu in the future. The inspiring story of 'Siragugal Bricks' can be emulated in other parts of the country, provided the concerned officials have the will and the drive to do it.