A joint team of the police and Child Welfare Department led by local officials raided a pickle manufacturing unit in Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu and rescued 59 young girls of Chhattisgarh, official said on Friday.
The girls aged between 13 and 29 years belonged to Borpal, Timnar, Kulpal, Naria, Badeja, Mahari, Halami, Manjar, Benur, and Nayanar panchayat.
Narayanpur Collector Yashwanth Kumar deputed the team following the arrest of a middle man who had allegedly taken the girls to Tamil Nadu by promising them better job.
The conditions of the girls were very bed. They were not having adequate space to stay. Even one common toilet was provided to them. They were forced to work for food and the factory officials were paying them a monthly remuneration of merely Rs100 per head.
They were kept as bonded labourers and were forced to work more than 12 hours every day. They have also not been paid for the past eight months, officials said.
Speaking to reporters, Yashwanth Kumar said efforts were on to identify workers who often migrate in search of job. Job cards would be created in their names in their respective panchayats and the administration would ensure that they get works locally.
He also said the rescued girls would be provided work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and houses under the Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY). The rescued girls underwent medical examination in the local hospital.
IAS officer of Namakkal Ajay Yadav informed that action had been taken against the factory owner, he said.
Sources said a young man named as Ranjit who belonged to Dhaudai village was allegedly alluring the young men and women of different villages and sending them to other States for work.