The All Puroik Welfare Society (APWS) has appealed to the chief secretary to ensure strict enforcement of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 in Kurung Kumey district, alleging that authorities often bypass formal legal procedures in cases of bonded labour.
Instead of registering FIRs, complaints are reportedly being referred to gaon bura and gaon buri institutions for informal settlement. The APWS has emphasised that offences related to bonded labour are cognisable crimes that require proper legal action, not customary resolution.
The society has demanded that all such complaints be formally registered and investigated under the relevant legal provisions. It has also stated that cases involving bonded labour, forced labour, trafficking, and labour exploitation must not be handled through customary practices, as these institutions have no jurisdiction over criminal offences.
The concerns of the Puroik community must be taken seriously and addressed properly. The Puroiks have been marginalised for generations, and the government must not fail them again by neglecting to legally address cases of bondage and other issues affecting the community.
Whenever such cases arise, the administration must act with seriousness and responsibility, instead of referring them to gaon bura institutions. Such serious lapses must be avoided.