Brick kiln factories that manufacture mortar to build the city’s dreams have traditionally been the bastion of bonded labour. This was acknowledged in a recent Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj-commissioned report on agricultural bonded labour in the State...[of Karnatka]...Sashmeeta Mulmi, legal director at the International Justice Mission (IJM), who had accompanied government officials in many recent raids, believes the “demand” for these manpower-intensive products spurs bonded labour. “Owners of sectors such as brick kilns, agarbatti factories, stone quarries and even rose farms often tell courts that they need large amounts of labour to run the industry. And for them, hiring ‘cheap’ labour from other States, or even deprived castes by paying them at least Rs. 200 less than minimum wage ensures that these sectors remain profitable,” she said.