Bengal
Labour protest halts highway expansion
- The Statesman
- 09 Nov 2014
biswabrata goswami
Midnapore, 8 NoV: The expansion work of National Highway – 6 from four lanes to six lanes is likely to be delayed as labour unrest is taking on a militant mode owing to the reluctant attitude of the construction company authorities.
Around 150 workers who were engaged by the Ashoka Buildcon Ltd (ABL) and ATR Infraprojects Pvt.Ltd (ATR) at different times have started a movement against the project implementing agencies over some issues which include the issuance of identity cards, appointment letters, increments and some statutory benefits. They have already stalled work at few places along the stretch between Dankuni and Kharagpur for the past few days as the authorities have failed to address their demands even after several bipartite talks held since the last few years.
Mr Sk Abdul Hai, general secretary of the labour union alleged that the company had not issued any appointment letters to the workers till date, while they had assured to issue the appointment letters when the workers were inducted. “The company is not even following the Minimum Wages Act. Workers are being deprived from getting statutory benefits like provident fund, medical facilities and others. The company does not have any increment policy even though it is mandatory under the provision of Labour Act,” alleged Mr Hai.
Ashoka Buildcon started work in 2012 after emerging as the preferred bidder in a tender for six-laning on the 111.4-km Dankuni-Kharagpur section of NH-6. The expansion has to be completed in 30 months but if the agitation continues unabated, it would obviously miss the deadline.
A labour union leader (who did not wish to be named) alleged the company authorities prefer to keep happy the syndicate leaders who often extort money from them rather resolving the labour issues on hopes that the syndicate leaders (most are Trinamul Congress leaders) will defuse the labour unrest with their able capacity or political influence.
The company’s people also influenced the police administration who often threatened the labourers asking them not to launch any agitation while they are reluctant to recognize their workers, alleged Mr Hai. The workers however are adamant about continuing with the stir.
Midnapore, 8 NoV: The expansion work of National Highway – 6 from four lanes to six lanes is likely to be delayed as labour unrest is taking on a militant mode owing to the reluctant attitude of the construction company authorities.
Around 150 workers who were engaged by the Ashoka Buildcon Ltd (ABL) and ATR Infraprojects Pvt.Ltd (ATR) at different times have started a movement against the project implementing agencies over some issues which include the issuance of identity cards, appointment letters, increments and some statutory benefits. They have already stalled work at few places along the stretch between Dankuni and Kharagpur for the past few days as the authorities have failed to address their demands even after several bipartite talks held since the last few years.
Mr Sk Abdul Hai, general secretary of the labour union alleged that the company had not issued any appointment letters to the workers till date, while they had assured to issue the appointment letters when the workers were inducted. “The company is not even following the Minimum Wages Act. Workers are being deprived from getting statutory benefits like provident fund, medical facilities and others. The company does not have any increment policy even though it is mandatory under the provision of Labour Act,” alleged Mr Hai.
Ashoka Buildcon started work in 2012 after emerging as the preferred bidder in a tender for six-laning on the 111.4-km Dankuni-Kharagpur section of NH-6. The expansion has to be completed in 30 months but if the agitation continues unabated, it would obviously miss the deadline.
A labour union leader (who did not wish to be named) alleged the company authorities prefer to keep happy the syndicate leaders who often extort money from them rather resolving the labour issues on hopes that the syndicate leaders (most are Trinamul Congress leaders) will defuse the labour unrest with their able capacity or political influence.
The company’s people also influenced the police administration who often threatened the labourers asking them not to launch any agitation while they are reluctant to recognize their workers, alleged Mr Hai. The workers however are adamant about continuing with the stir.
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