India brick industry: Calls to improve working conditions

Campaigners are calling for more to be done about the appalling human cost of India's brick industry.

The brick kilns that supply the country's booming construction sector - used for buildings owned not only by Indian companies but also by British ones and multinationals - are a crucial part of India's growing economy.

There are more than 2 million brick workers in India.

Many kilns use bonded labourers working in conditions of near-slavery earning at best around £1.50 for a 12-hour day.

Many suffer ill health from the acrid smoke from the kilns and harsh working conditions leading campaigners to call the bricks they make "blood bricks" .

Humphrey Hawksley reports from the Indian city of Hyderabad.