US govt expresses concern about ‘poor working conditions’ in Maharashtra sugarcane industry | Pune News

In response to a query by The Indian Express, the US Embassy spokesperson said, “The U.S. government has closely followed reporting about labor rights abuses and gender-based violence and their disproportionate impact on women and girls in the Indian sugar cane industry. The U.S. Department of State remains committed to fostering respect for internationally recognized labor rights and helping develop commitments by key stakeholders to respect these rights.”

“We will continue to advocate with the state government and industry representatives for policy and practical changes to benefit workers. We have privately encouraged U.S. industry representatives to support targeted interventions in women’s healthcare, including sheltered female hygiene facilities and wash stations,” the spokesperson added.

Last year, the US report in the list of goods produced by forced and child labour claimed that adults have experienced forced labour in the production of sugarcane in India, primarily in the Beed district of Maharashtra. “Reports from NGOs and media organisations show that forced labour indicators such as involuntary overtime, unjustified wage deductions, degrading living conditions, and recruitment linked to debt are all common in the sugarcane sector,” it said.

It further claimed that “workers regularly work between 12 and 14 hours in the fields without rest, and some workers report working without days off for 3–4 months”.

Sugarcane cutters, primarily from the districts of Beed, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, and Amravati in Maharashtra, travel to different parts of the state at the beginning of the sugar season to harvest cane. Mills reach out to these workers through middlemen, known as mukaddams, who accept advances on behalf of the cutters.

Cutters in Maharashtra are paid per tonne of cane harvested, which enables them to repay advances and earn additional income. This well-established yet entirely informal system is unique to Maharashtra, as other sugar-producing states like Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Gujarat do not have similar practices. According to Jeevan Rathod, president of the Maharashtra Sugarcane Cutters and Transport Association, there are approximately 1.2 million cutters employed in this sector.

The working conditions for sugarcane cutters have come under scrutiny, with numerous reports highlighting the lack of basic amenities such as clean drinking water and washrooms for the workers. Most workers live in temporary shelters that they construct in the fields. Once the season ends, they dismantle their shelters and travel back home.

The sugar industry has dismissed the allegations made against it. Bhairavnath B Thombare, president of the West Indian Sugar Mills Association (WISMA), stated that the focus on Maharashtra’s sugar industry is being driven by malicious intent. “We firmly refute these charges. Over the past three years, the industry has taken measures to ensure proper living conditions for workers, following the directions of the Bombay High Court. We are actively collaborating with the state government,” he said.

Rathod stated that the mills have not altered their working practices. “All we want is better working conditions for the labourers,” he added.