Labour Dept ill-equipped to verify labourers
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 19 2014: As the State is witnessing a mass movement demanding implementation of ILPS, it is high time to have a reality check whether the State Labour Department is doing anything tangible to regulate entry of non-local workers to the State.

Although, the Department regularly verifies the documents of non-local workers, who are engaged in the projects taken up by the State Government, the Department is not authorised to check the identities of the workers of Central Government projects, said a reliable source.

On the otherhand, it would be a herculean task to verify and check the large number of workers, who personally come to the State from different sides daily, as the Department has only 46 employees, added the source.

Saying that the firm/company concerned must acquire licence of the labourers under Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition Act 1970) of the concerned State if the contractor has to shift his workers to other States, the source added that the licence must mention identity of the workers and period of their stay.

However, this licence is not necessary for migration of up to five workers, it added.

The source further said that Labour Department Inspectors must not only verify the documents of the workers but also check their health conditions at their works sites.

Saying that the workers must be sent back to their respective States if they fail to produce necessary documents, the source maintained that sick workers must be given necessary medical treatment.

It added that State Labour Department Inspectors regularly check the documents of the workers being engaged in construction works at Khuga Dam, Pallel, Moreh, Tengnoupal, Jiribam, Tamenglong and New Secretariat.

Moreover, the Department also organises awareness programmes on child labour and contractual workers from time to time.

Most of the workers, who came to the State under Inter-State Migrant Work Men, returned to their respective States after the completion of their works, the source said and added that it is a big headache to the Department as well as to the Government that some labourers stay back even after the completion of their work.

On the otherhard, it is equal to impossible to verify all the non-local workers/labourers, who come to the State personally as the Department has only 46 staff, the source added.

Comment