TN govt tells employers to take care of their workers or face legal action

Medical Care, Food, Housing Included

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com

Chennai:30.03.2020

With hundreds of migrant labourers stranded in several parts of the state without food and basic amenities, the state’s labour and employment department has directed employers to take care of their employees’ welfare.

The authorities, in a communication, have instructed employers of building and other construction works (BOCW) establishments to adhere to provisions of BOCW Act 1996 and Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Condition of Service) Act1979. According to the provisions of the law, the employers should take care of food, accommodation and medical needs of the employees and their family members during the period of pandemic. “Legal action will be taken against the violators of the act,” additional principal secretary of labour and employment Mohammed Nasimuddin told TOI.

Since the construction industry accounts for around 12% of the migrant labourers, the authorities of directorate of industrial safety and health have asked the Chennai chapter of the confederation of real estate developers’ association of India (CREDAI) to provide food and accommodation to their workforce, particularly migrant labourers.

The employers, according to the legal provisions, are responsible for medical care for the labourers and their family members during his/her employment in their establishment or to meet any preventive measures against epidemic or any virus infections. “The entire cost on treatment, hospital charges and the travel expenses from hospital to resident shall be borne by the contractor,” said the authorities in the circular citing the provision in the act.

Meanwhile, CREDAI has asked 120 of its members (builders) to provide food and other essentials to the migrant labourers. “A couple of days ahead of the complete lockdown, the construction activities crippled. But we ensured the labourers in the worksites are taken care of,” said S Sridharan of CREDAI’s Chennai Chapter. They have also asked its fellow members in Coimbatore, Trichy, Tiruppur, Erode, Dindugal and other parts of the state to adhere to the law to ensure the welfare of the workforce in the testing time of Covid 19 pandemic.

The confederation has also urged the government to release Cess paid by the industries to facilitate them to take good care of the labourers. According to Cess Act, the construction industry should pay 1% of the total cost of their project for the welfare of the labourers.