GUJRAT, May 30: A large number of brick kiln workers on Friday staged a demonstration against the excesses of kiln owners and officials of the Labour department.

They marched on the Bhimber Road and assembled near Kutchery Chowk where they shouted slogans against brick kiln owners and staff of the Labour department for disobeying orders of the Punjab government.

The labourers alleged that the provincial government had directed the kiln owners to pay Rs184 to workers for making 1,000 raw bricks. But, they alleged that owners were paying them only Rs70 to Rs85 which was a sheer violation of government orders.

When the workers refused to manufacture raw bricks at such a nominal rate, their owners turned hostile against them and adopted inhuman tactics, including forced labour, by keeping them in illegal detention, they alleged.

They repeatedly lodged complaints with the officials of the department concerned, but nothing had so far been done in this respect. They further alleged that Labour department officials were taking bribe from kiln owners who had been violating labour rules for the last several years.

They asked the higher authorities concerned to take stern action against kiln owners and staff of the Labour department and directed them to pay their workers in accordance with the rates fixed by the government.

They also called upon to register the kiln units under the factory and social security acts besides allotting plots to homeless workers.