Supreme Court unhappy with state govts' response on bonded and child labour

The Supreme Court today expressed displeasure that despite allocation of funds by the Centre, various state governments have failed to undertake a survey required for eradicating bonded and child labour.

"The Centre is releasing funds as per the suggestions of NHRC to state governments and union territories for carrying out a survey but no state has carried out the survey," a bench comprising chief justice SH Kapadia and justices KS Radhakrishnan and Swatanter Kumar said.

"If there is no survey, why are you (Centre) releasing the grant? If there is no survey by the states, grants should not be released," the Bench said when it was informed that states have been granted Rs two lakh per month for each district for three years.

The bench said if its orders are not going to be implemented, it will stop passing any direction.

It sought the assistance of solicitor general Gopal Subramanium and posted the matter after two weeks.

Earlier, senior advocate AK Ganguly, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae in the matter, placed before the Bench a report about the entire state of affairs.

The court was hearing a PIL filed in 1985 by NGO rights group People's Union for Civil Liberties on the issue of steps to be taken for eradication of bonded and child labour.

NHRC, whose assistance was sought by the court, had filed a report suggesting  some steps for eradication of bonded labour.

The report of the rights body was sent all states and union territories.