While a group of 25 labourers from Chhattisgarh was rescued from one brick kiln in Adalaj on Friday, according to unions working with the kiln workers, many such groups of migrant workers are trapped in various other similar units across the state.

The kiln workers who come to Gujarat are mostly from Rajasthan, UP and Chhattisgarh. While tribal labourers from Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh make the bricks, labourers from UP fire the kiln. It is the job of the tribal labourers to arrange the bricks in the kiln before the heating process and collecting them afterwards.

“Unlike the labourers in the ginning industry, where only the men of the families work, in brick kilns, entire families, women and children included migrate from their place, for work,” said Rina Parmar from the Dakshini Rajasthan Majdoor Union here on Saturday.

“They are often brought here by the labour contractors and the kiln owners lend them a small amount of money in the beginning and subsequently they become bonded to the kiln owners and are forced to live in sub-human conditions.”

“There are also issues of hygiene, health and education involved with these labourers,” Parmar said. She added the group that was rescued from Adalaj on Friday, had no access to drinking water and were forced to consume water from a hole, which they also used to take a bath. Even animals drank water from the hole, she said.

Parmar said even the payments made to these labourers were dismal. “While a couple is supposed to get Rs 200 for making 1000 bricks, they actually have to make extra 100 bricks to get the amount. They are compelled to work for 14 to 16 hours a day. For firing the bricks, the labourers get a monthly lump sum of Rs 3,000 and are forced to work for 12 to 14 hours a day. The labourers from Rajasthan, who arrange and collect the bricks in and out of the kiln get Rs 172 for 4,000 bricks,” she added.

Parmar said, as the cost of living in Gujarat is much higher than their home states, they end up spending almost everything they earn here and leave the state at the end of the season almost empty handed.