MARGAO
Erring Cuncolim Industries housing workers inside the industrial units in violation of labour norms are facing action from the Industrial Development Corporation.
Perhaps for the first time in recent history, the Goa IDC has issued notices to as many as 22 industrial units at the Cuncolim Industrial estate for accommodating the workers inside the premises.
Show cause notices have been issued by the GIDC Managing Director Pravimal Abhishek on the units to explain the presence of labourers and workers inside the premises.
“We have complied with the principle of natural justice by giving the industrial units the opportunity to explain the presence of the labourers inside the units,” he told The Goan on Tuesday, adding that the action will be initiated under the provisions of law after receiving replies from the units.
To a question, Abhishek pointed out that during the joint inspection of the Cuncolim industrial estate, the team had come across workers accommodated inside the premises of the industrial units. “This was in gross violation of the labour norms. Hence, the show cause notices have been issued to the units," he said.
Sources pointed out that the erring industrial units are in the business of fish processing, steel rolling and others. The joint inspection was carried out by a team comprising the IDC MD, Labour Commissioner Agnelo Fernandes and others.
This is perhaps the first time in recent years that notices have gone for the industrial units housing workers. If sources are to be believed, a couple of these units were found accommodating a large number of workers. Most of these workers are hired from other states and are accommodated inside to save the cost of accommodation.
As reported by the Goan, a young worker from Uttar Pradesh lost his life when he was sleeping in makeshift accommodation provided to him in a tool manufacturing unit when an Ammonia gas leakage was registered in an adjoining fish processing unit two years ago.
The Cuncolim Industrial Estate hit the headlines during the monsoons when health workers detected malaria and dengue cases amongst the workers housed in the industrial units.
