Contractor Parvesh Duni threatened Dialu Niyal and Nilambar Dhangdamajhi to pay Rs. 2 Lakhs as a compensation for other 10 labours who fled while on their way to Duni' farming fields. (IE Photo: Pradeep Kumar Nayak)

Existing laws have proved ineffective. As per the Inter State Migrant Workman Act, 1979, each job contractor who hires at least five labourers for work outside the state is supposed to register himself with the District Labour Officer. But the threat of Rs 1,000 fine and three-month imprisonment is hardly a deterrent for defaulting contractors. Last year, the Orissa government signed an MoU with Andhra Pradesh for reducing vulnerabilities of migrant workers. Orissa is supposed to get job contractors and their list of labourers registered with the district labour office. In Kalahandi, only three contractors have registered. The contractor taking villagers from Jaipatna block was unregistered.

While the state government has announced relief measures for Niyal and Dhangdamajhi, including assistance for an artificial limb, NREGS job card, disability pension and monetary assistance of Rs 4 lakh, Niyal wonders why they had to lose their hands for the government to take note of their plight.

This attention too will last only briefly. P K Baliarsingh, Assistant Labour Commissioner, blames the problem on the labourers, saying "these people are so greedy they fall for the advance given by contractors". "Do you think we have the necessary staff to deal with all this?" he adds.

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