Nuapada: Kin of as many as 32 Odia migrant labourers on Saturday sought administration help in rescuing their family members who are reportedly facing exploitation and torture in Andhra Pradesh.
According to sources, the distraught labourers hail from Ranimunda village under Khadial block of Nuapada district. The matter came to knowledge of the family members after a labourer shared a video footage of their suffering through Watsapp.
Based on a video footage sent by the stranded workers, their family members have lodged a complaint at Khadial police station.
Narrating their ordeal through the video footage, the labourers alleged that a Hyderabad based employer has been forcing them to work overtime and is not paying their dues. The labourers also alleged that they are not being given adequate food.
“The employer is making them work from 5 am to 10 pm in the night only for a meager payment of Rs 200. They are also locking them up when there is no work and are paid Rs 200,” Tokaram Hial, a local villager whose son is among the stranded labourers said.
“Many people from the village have migrated to outside Odisha after the crops were damaged due to drought. Since there is not much work here and even the government has done nothing to help us, people are forced to migrate in search of livelihood,” he said.
“We will ensure that the villagers return to their families soon,” said Khadial IIC, Sadanand Pujahari.