the goan I network
panaji
During the monsoon session, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had said that the state government has moved a bill, which once passed will allow industries to employ women between 7 pm and 6 am.
Industrialists welcomed Parrikar's move, but were quick to add that bus (transport) service as of now is totally inadequate, which will have to be improved if women have to be employed in the late night shifts.
Leo Furtado, director, Alcina Packers, said, "A small-scale unit can't afford to provide conveyance to employees working in late night shifts. In order to deal with it, the government must provide better transport facility. There should be bus-service within industrial estates as well."
Furtado continued, "Male employees have their own bikes. For them, non-availability of bus service within industrial estate is not an issue. For women workforce, it's an issue because they don't find it convenient to travel from nearest bus stop outside the industrial estate to the factory."
The state government will have to improve the transport service even outside the industrial estate so that women find it convenient to commute at late night hours.
N Sriram, director, Tulip Group of Companies, said, "There is no bus service even at Verna Industrial Estate after 7 pm. There is no bus service in the early morning hours as well. In such a case, if women are employed for late night shifts, they will have to wait for buses, which will result in them spending 12 hours at work and not 8 hours."
If bus service isn't improved, women will have no choice in the morning but to wait for buses, which will result in them wasting time.
Furtado continued, "Bus service within industrial estates makes sense because there is no security in the night. It's not safe for women to step out of factories and go to bus stops to catch bus." Industries like packaging and pharmaceuticals employ women in significant number in day shifts. Sources also said that work atmosphere in these industries is conducive for women.
Naturally then, it will benefit such industries if women can be employed in late night shifts. But for that to happen, the state government will have to work on improving transport infrastructure, provide security and improve street-lights.
