HYDERABAD, Oct 6: The Hyderabad circuit bench of the Sindh High Court on Monday issued notices to secretary of labour, regional director of labour, chairman of Sindh Minimum Wages Board, district nazim, DIG of police and president of Brick Kiln Owners Association on a petition filed by the coordinator of the Society for Protection of Right of Child.

The petitioner, Shafiq Ahmed, who was represented by advocate Shahzado Saleem claimed that he had been informed by brick kiln workers that they were being paid Rs120 for making 1,000 but 1,000 bricks were taken as 900 bricks.

He said that the payment was much lower than the amount given in the government’s wages notification issued on Dec 14 last year, which declared the brick kilns as an industry and fixed wages for all categories of workers.

He said that he approached the respondents many times and took up with them the workers’ wages issue after having been contacted by kiln workers but to no avail. Sadly, the respondents believed that brick kilns were neither an industry nor was it registered, he said.

The petitioner said that kiln workers were working under the worst conditions with no facilities and they were treated like bonded labourers.

They had facilities of medication, accommodation, water, electricity, food and education as per notification and the Factories Act and labour laws, he said. Besides, they had no immediate remedy, he added.

He prayed the court to order registration of all brick kilns under the Factories Act 1934 and the kilns’ management be asked to keep record of kiln labourers. The respondents should be directed to pay fixed wages as per minimum Wages Act and labour laws and the court should direct the respondents to ensure that workers were not enslaved neither sold like chattel.

The court fixed Oct 22 to hear the case.