In a significant ruling on Monday, the Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra state government to enforce comprehensive welfare measures for sugarcane cutters by the next harvesting season, which spans from mid-October to late March. The division bench, consisting of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice MS Karnik, responded to urgent calls for improved labor conditions highlighted through a suo moto public interest litigation (PIL).
The PIL was initiated after a 2023 newspaper report shed light on the dire conditions faced by nearly 1-1.2 million migrant workers in Maharashtra’s sugarcane industry. These workers, migrating annually from drought-prone areas such as Vidarbha and Marathwada to the sugarcane-rich regions of western Maharashtra, face financial and sexual exploitation, and are often trapped in cycles of debt.
The court mandated that all sugarcane workers be systematically registered under the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970, and the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979. Additionally, the state is required to implement the Central Sector Scheme for the Rehabilitation of Bonded Laborers and submit a comprehensive compliance report by November 2025.
Advocate and amicus curiae Mihir Desai emphasized the severe conditions that these laborers endure, including a lack of basic necessities such as housing, drinking water, sanitation, health facilities, and educational provisions for their children. Desai’s report to the court included various legal provisions and government resolutions that have failed in implementation, advocating for their strict enforcement.
The report also highlighted the need for better housing, sanitation, essential healthcare services, maternity benefits, and the establishment of mobile schools and hostels. It pointed out the gender-based exploitation prevalent in the sector, suggesting robust enforcement of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, and the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.
Responding to these pressing issues, the court’s ruling specified that sugar mills are obligated to provide housing, drinking water, and sanitation facilities. It also stipulated that female workers should be given access to free or subsidized sanitary products and proper washing areas to address menstrual hygiene needs.
The state government has agreed to all the court’s recommendations and pledged to implement various programs within a specified timeframe. The High Court has expressed its intent to ensure compliance, warning of consequences for any delay in execution beyond the stipulated deadlines.
