The Home Ministry Tuesday issued an urgent and stern notice asking landlords not to employ ex-Kamiyas or their depends against their will or without paying them for domestic work.

The Ministry said it was issuing the notice after receiving reports that Kamaiyas or slave workers in far west Nepal were being used as domestic help against their will; the Kamaiya system was abolished nearly two years ago by then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Defaulters will be prosecuted, the Ministry warned.