NHRC Issues Notice to Jharkhand Govt Over 14 Migrant Workers Stranded in Dubai

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday said it has issued a notice to the Jharkhand government over reports that at least 14 migrant workers from the state have allegedly got stranded in Dubai in the UAE.

The Commission said it has taken "suo motu cognisance of a media report that at least 14 migrant workers from the Giridih, Hazaribag, and Bokaro districts of Jharkhand" have got stranded in Dubai.


The NHRC has observed that the content of the news report, if true, raises serious issues of violation of human rights. "Therefore, it has issued notices to the state's chief secretary and the head of the State Migrant Workers Control Room (MWCR), calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks," the NHRC said in a statement.

Reportedly, a company engaged in transmission line work had "employed them and seized their passports to block their journey back home". Their wages are also not being paid. The workers have appealed to the government of Jharkhand to facilitate their safe return to India, the human rights panel said, quoting the reports.

According to a media report carried on February 3, one of the stranded workers informed over telephone that the company has "deducted" most of their salaries to recover the amount, incurred initially to purchase their air tickets from India to Dubai. The company is charging for their accommodation and even the "workers do not have money to purchase food for themselves", it said.