Maharashtra :Sugar Commissioner Vows to Uphold Workers’ Rights Amidst Exploitation Concerns
Maharashtra’s sugar commissioner, Dr. Kunal Khemnar, has pledged to protect the human rights of sugarcane workers amid growing concerns about exploitation, forced sterilizations, and poor living conditions. During a meeting in Pune, activists and labor leaders submitted a memorandum demanding fair wages, better amenities, and action against bonded labor. Khemnar assured efforts to address these issues within three months, with activists warning of protests if no concrete action is taken.
Amid growing concerns about the exploitation of sugarcane workers in Maharashtra, including forced sterilisations of women and deplorable living conditions, state sugar commissioner Dr Kunal Khemnar has vowed to protect their human rights. Khemnar made the pledge during a meeting in Pune with authorities, promising to work towards policy interventions to address these critical issues.
A delegation from the Maharashtra Sugarcane Workers’ Justice Committee met with Khemnar on Thursday to discuss the hardships faced by sugarcane laborers. The delegation, composed of activists and labour leaders including Dr Bharat Patankar, Nitin Pawar, Dr Raghunath Kuchik, Subhash Lomte, Chandan Kumar, and Gorakh Mengde, submitted a memorandum outlining key demands and urging immediate action.
Kuchik said, “The memorandum highlighted several pressing concerns, including the forced sterilisation of female sugarcane workers – a matter already before the High Court, the lack of basic civic amenities, fair wages, and adequate irrigation facilities. The delegation also called for the transfer of the Sugarcane Workers’ Board from the social justice department to the labour department for improved governance.”
“We also called for action against bonded labour practices in the sugar sector, and Khemnar assured the delegation that he would advocate for a joint meeting of all relevant authorities to streamline efforts and tackle these urgent issues,” he said.
He added, “We have set a three-month deadline for concrete action and warned that if our demands are not met, we will be compelled to launch democratic protests to fight for the rights of Maharashtra’s exploited sugarcane workers.”
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Source : Pune Mirror
