New Delhi, February 9 The NHRC announced on Monday that it has issued a notice to the Jharkhand government regarding reports that at least 14 migrant workers from the state are allegedly stranded in Dubai, in the UAE.
The National Human Rights Commission has observed that, if the news report is true, it raises serious issues of human rights violations.
"Therefore, it has issued notices to the state's chief secretary and the head of the State Migrant Workers Control Room (MWCR), requesting a detailed report on the matter within two weeks," the NHRC said in a statement.
The Commission said it has taken "suo motu cognizance" of a media report that at least 14 migrant workers from the Giridih, Hazaribagh, and Bokaro districts of Jharkhand are allegedly stranded in Dubai.
According to the report, a company involved in transmission line work had "employed them and seized their passports to prevent their return home". Their wages are also not being paid. The workers have appealed to the Jharkhand government to facilitate their safe return to India, the human rights panel said, quoting the reports.
According to a media report carried on February 3, one of the stranded workers informed over telephone that the company has "deducted" most of their salaries to recover the initial amount incurred in purchasing their air tickets from India to Dubai.
"The company is also charging for their accommodation, and even the 'workers do not have money to purchase food for themselves'," it said.
