Dubai, Sep 4 (IANS) The Indian embassy in Bahrain has blacklisted a total of 49 companies there for the alleged cheating of Indian workers.

The embassy will pass on the list to the Indian government so that potential recruits can be forewarned before they travel to Bahrain, the Daily Gulf News reported.

"The list includes firms who kept workers in cramped living quarters or unhygienic conditions, failed to pay their salaries on time, physically abused them or had not provided safety measures at worksites," said Indian Ambassador to Bahrain Balkrishna Shetty.

Shetty pointed out that the number of rogue companies has gone up sharply in recent months. He also said the embassy was working with Bahraini authorities to prevent the abuse of Indian workers by their employers.

"We do it (blacklisting) in a very systematic manner," Shetty said.

Shetty stressed that before any action is taken against a company, embassy officials thoroughly investigate the allegations and write to the company concerned, giving them a chance to respond. If the firm fails to respond or does not take steps to alter its treatment of workers, it is automatically blacklisted, he added.

"These firms are harming the good companies in Bahrain because they do not pay their own workers fairly and they are able to undercut the good companies.

"The good companies in Bahrain will benefit from this and the bad ones will be eliminated.

Shetty said that once a company has been blacklisted, it is possible for a firm to come off the list, if evidence was provided that it had changed its ways.