Dubai, July 18 (IANS) The Indian embassy in Bahrain is drawing up a list of rogue companies that violate the human rights of Indian workers and of placement agents who send Indians to such employers.

Firms that violate the human rights of Indian workers will be totally banned from recruiting work force from India, reports said.

Placement agents who send workers to different Gulf countries will also be held accountable if the workers are ill-treated by their employer, a report in the Gulf Daily News said quoting the Indian ambassador to Bahrain Balkrishna Shetty.

Shetty said a welfare fund would also be set up shortly to provide shelter for abused Indian housemaids.

"The Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF) will be expanded to provide assistance to needy members of the community," he said.

The ambassador, who was interacting with Indian community leaders, said the Indian Emigration Act would be amended shortly so that the above shortcomings can be rectified.

The embassy in Bahrain has established a hotline to help Indian workers who become victims of abuse and exploitation.

According to a report in the Bahrain Tribune, the ambassador said that there are an estimated 45,000 "free-visa" workers of all nationalities in Bahrain of which a large proportion are Indians.

"We have closely studied this phenomenon of 'free visa', which means exactly the opposite and is, in fact, semi-indentured labour," he said.

"Soon, recruitment agencies in India will be required to pay a huge deposit to register their business, and, in case of abuse and breach of contract, including poor living conditions, the Indian mission will work with the Indian government to track the recruitment agency responsible, using the security deposit to ensure the worker gets justice," he added.

Of the 270,000 expatriates in Bahrain, Indians total 135,000 with the largest number coming from south India, especially Kerala.

Picture Source: Miskan