Mahendranagar, June 20: A procession of Kamaiya bonded labourers in Kanchanpur district filed a joint application at the district administration office Sunday seeking emancipation from bondage, waiver of their debts and compensation.
The 73 Kamaiyas, who handed over the application to administrative officer Yagya Raj Bohara, belong to the southern part of the district including Tribhuwanvasti, Parashan Kalika, Wahasebichawa, Shankarpur and Laxmipur VDCs.
Chandra Kumari Chaudhari, a 15-year old from Laxmipur VDC and 8-year old Harichandra Rana and 11-year old Harikishan Lal Rana were among those who filed the application.
Chaudhari has been living as a Kamaiya at the house of landlord Ratan Singh Bhandari since the last three years in exchange for a loan of Rs. 22,000, said the director of the Nepal National Social Welfare Organisation which is actively working for Kamaiya emancipation in the district.
Even minors aged eight to 11 have been working as Kamaiya in Kanchanpur.
Administrative officer Bohara assured the Kamaiya of their emancipation.
Kanchanpur DDC president Rishiraj Lumsali, who accompanied the Kamaiya to the district administration office, said that as the Kamaiya wished for speedy emancipation, the district administration office should initiate the process promptly.
Mahendranagar Town Development Committee chairman Yagya Raj Chataut is of the opinion that the Kamaiya would be freed once and for all if the landless squatters problem resolution committee provided them land free of cost and with due priority.
The joint application filed at the district administration office demands an end to the “Sauki” system, enforcement of the Kanchanpur declaration of 2056 on the freeing of Kamaiya adopted by the DDC and reasonable wages.
Prior to this also, a similar application was filed at the district administration office by some 46 Kamaiya from six VDCs.
According to a survey conducted by Base, a non-governmental organisation, reveals that some 4,376 Kamaiya families live in the district.
The seventh district council meeting of Kanchanpur DDC adopted a decision to henceforth recognize Kamaiya as agricultural farmers and also fixed a wage of Rs. 90 for a working day of eight hours.