Teen Girls Hurt Escaping Mill, Prompt Crackdown on Forced Labour

The state labour department has initiated a drive to check working conditions in mills across western Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu government has launched a crackdown on factories violating labour laws after two teenage girls scaled a wall to escape from a spinning mill, where they were forced to work 12-hour shifts and were subjected to abuse. Tamil Nadu is a hub for India’s 42 billion-a-year textile and clothing export industry.

A women-led trade union, which represent female garment workers in the state, said the girls were found unconscious on Sunday on a highway near the mill where they scaled a 14-foot wall before falling on to thorny bushes.

But because of excessive bleeding they became unconscious and were found two hours later by residents from nearby villagers.

Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union

It said the girls were forced to work overtime, banned from contacting their family or studying.

The Investigation

The district administration will inspect all mills to ensure that the girls are being paid directly and there is no exploitation.

Official from the State Labour Department

Officials at the spinning mill did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Activists said the incident highlights the poor working conditions of textile workers, particularly those trapped in bonded labour – forced to work for little or no money to pay off loans, advances on their salary or recruitment fees.

Sumangali Schemes

Mills mainly hire young girls, offering 30,000 rupees to 60,000 rupees ($450 to $900) to their families for three years’ work. This falls under the so-called “Sumangali” schemes, with the money being paid at the end of the fixed term.

But former workers say they often do not receive the full amount as most of it gets cut for their food and lodging.

A 2014 study on Tamil Nadu’s textile industry found workers were also often subjected to low wages, excessive and sometimes forced overtime requirements, lack of freedom of movement as well as verbal and sexual abuse.

Lack of Progress in Working Conditions

Different studies and numerous documented case studies reveal repeated stories of exploitation of the adolescents in various forms in textile sector.

R Paritha, President of the Textile Union

S James Victor, advisor with the textile union, criticised a lack of progress in working conditions for textile workers.

Nothing is changing. Last week, six children were rescued from a mill in Coimbatore and produced before the child welfare committee. These cases are making it to the public domain, many more are not.

S James Victor

(Published in arrangement with The News Minute.)