Chennai: The Kancheepuram district administration has refused to issue a release certificate to the family of a 44-year-old irula tribal woman, Thenmozhi, who died along with her newborn during childbirth at a worksite in Vellaicate village on Sept 8.A release certificate recognises that a person has been rescued from bonded labour. It enables survivors to access central and state welfare schemes and financial assistance aimed at rehabilitation and preventing re-bondage. The revenue department recently recognised the certificate as valid identity proof for accessing services through e-seva centres.The rejection of the RC came despite the district legal services authority (DLSA) recommending that revenue authorities issue the document after an inquiry confirmed that the woman and her family were held as bonded labourers. DLSA identified key indicators of bonded labour such as advance payment given to the family, long working hours, low wages and restrictions on movement.“We found elements of bonded labour during our inquiry. Based on our findings, we communicated to the sub-collector recommending him to issue the certificate,” said an official.However, Kancheepuram sub-collector T Bhuvanesh Ram responded that the woman and her family were not bonded labourers. Asked why the certificate was rejected, Bhuvanesh said the inquiry report had been submitted to higher authorities and its findings could not be disclosed.According to a complaint filed by the woman’s husband, Anand, the family had taken an advance payment of ₹20,000 from the employer Arumugam. Anand, Thenmozhi, their daughter Kaviya and son-in-law Muthu allegedly worked from 7am until late evening and lived in a tarpaulin shed at the worksite for six months.Anand alleged that Arumugam refused to let him take Thenmozhi to hospital when she went into labour, telling him not to leave without settling the advance. When Anand returned to the shed around 2pm on Sept 8, he found Thenmozhi and the newborn dead.“There are sufficient indicators to establish that the victim and her family were bonded labourers. Officials are not accepting it. This is shocking,” said a member of the one-stop crisis team.
