Around 40 Indian workers “stranded” in the Maldives undergoing significant hardships at a construction company appealed to the Government of Indian, via video message, for immediate assistance, Indian media has revealed.
While no government agencies have yet commented on the matter, the Times of India (TOI) reported that the workers, initially brought to the Maldives between June and July, have not been paid in at least five months and have been, allegedly, confined and intimidated by the company they work for.
No mention was made of the name of the company.
The workers hailed mainly from Odessa’s Itipur, Laxmanpur, and Bakutagaon villages in Ganjam district, and Banapur area in Khurda district, TOI confirmed in its reporting.
Relatives of the workers stranded in the Maldives confirmed to the publication that they were being subject to appalling conditions while being denied their salaries and basic decency, noting also that they would appeal to the state government for their assistance in remedying the situation.
The mistreatment of migrant workers, whereby they are denied several months of pay and other basic liberties, is a serious and fast-growing issue in the Maldives that remains largely unaddressed by state authorities.
It is unclear if the workers have had any assistance form Maldivian authorities.
Meanwhile, two former Attorneys General, last week, voluntarily sought to offer legal assistance against deportation to a French family who had significantly overstayed their visa and had been living in the Maldives for the past 12 years.