SANTHAL PARGANA ANTYODAYAASHRAM Vs. STATE OF BIHAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) We have gone through the report made by the Saxena Committee appointed by us. We deeply appreciate the tremendous effort made by Shri Saxena and his colleagues in investigating into the existence of bonded labourers in Mohanpur and Deogarh Blocks of Deogarh District and Saraiyahat Block of Dumka District and submitting a detailed and comprehensive report to the court. The report of the Saxena Committee discloses that there are large number of bonded labourers in these areas and the Saxena Committee has been able to identify 2515 out of 3143 such bonded labourers. We accept the report of the Saxena Committee and proceed to give the following directions:

(2.) So far as these 2515 bonded labourers are concerned, they must, on their release be rehabilitated by the State government on a permanent basis and the rehabilitation programme should be implemented immediately in respect of those persons and its implementation need not wait on account of the pendency of the present proceeding in this court. The State government will submit within two weeks from the date of receipt of this order, a report setting out the permanent rehabilitation programme evolved by the State government for rehabilitation of the bonded labourers and particularly the bonded labourers freed by us under this order so that this court may be able to scrutinise the rehabilitation programme and approve of it with or without modifications with a view to giving appropriate directions for its implementation.

(3.) The other recommendations contained in the Saxena Committee report shall be implemented as far as possible within one month from the date of receipt of this order by the State government.