| Abstract: | This paper explores the distress-driven seasonal migration of over two lakh labourers from West Odisha to brick kilns in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, examining the underlying causes such as poverty, shrinking forest resources, and systemic exploitation. It details the severe human rights violations faced by migrant workers including physical abuse, bonded labour, and denial of education and healthcare and the exploitative role of Sardars (middlemen). In response, a group of concerned citizens formed the Solidarity Committee for Migrant Workers at both the destination and source regions in 2013. The paper evaluates the Committee’s efforts to intervene, rescue victims, secure compensation, and advocate for systemic change through legal and grassroots action. Despite significant achievements, challenges such as breaking the entrenched middlemen nexus, securing legal protection, and ensuring sustainable alternatives persist. The study emphasizes the need for sustained, rights-based activism to combat forced labour and ensure dignity for migrant workers. |
