The initiatives taken by the State government have brought under control trafficking of tribespeople in Wayanad to Karnataka for working in agricultural lands, according to a submission made by the State government before the High Court.
The submission was made on Thursday in response to a writ petition filed in 2010 seeking an investigation into the deaths/missing of tribal labourers taken to Karnataka for working in ginger and other agricultural fields.
The petitioner, Kerala Adivasi Forum, had also sought a directive to prevent exploitation of the tribespeople working in Karnataka fields.
The government submitted that the Wayanad district administration had taken steps to conduct periodical review meetings to check illegal human trafficking.
Informing police
It had been made mandatory to inform the police station and the District Labour Officer, Wayanad, before recruiting tribespeople for working in Karnataka. Besides, tribal extension officers and tribal promoters had been directed to report to the police any case of human trafficking.
Moreover, registration had been made compulsory for brokers recruiting tribal labourers with prior intimation to the police station. A special mobile squad led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mananthavady, had been posted to deal with atrocities against tribespeople. The ‘one job, one family’ scheme of the Tribal Welfare Department was providing gainful employment to at least one adult member of tribal families.
Dismissing the petition, the High Court said more than nine years had lapsed since the filing of the writ petition and an investigation/inquiry into the alleged death/missing of tribal labourers at this stage was not possible. Besides, now no incidents of death, torture, and exploitation had not been reported.
