Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 10: Taking cognizance of a complaint regarding plight and miseries of the ponywallas, palakiwallas, pithoos and other workers at the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishnodevi, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Chief Secretary of the State seeking a report within four weeks into the allegations.
Through the complaint, the intervention of NHRC has been sought for profile mapping of ponywallas, palakiwallas and other such workers, sources told EXCELSIOR, adding the complainant has alleged that their wages were being prescribed by the Shrine Board but the State authorities were neglecting them.
“The workers are not being provided benefits of any welfare scheme such as life insurance, health insurance, education and insurance of the ponies”, the complainant said, adding “some of the ponywallas were children running the whole day up and down with the devotees in order to earn bread and butter. This sort of self-employment was equivalent to child labour, which is prohibited under law”.
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