Considering the plight of workers during the pandemic, Chairman of Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti has said that he will issue directions to the State government to collect information regarding the problems of workers and take steps to address their grievances.
He was speaking after distributing food and safety gear kits to workers of construction and other industries in a programme jointly organised by the district administration, Labour Department and Karnataka Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board at Lamington School in Hubballi on Tuesday.
Mr. Horatti said that he had asked the reason for food kits not being distributed to construction workers in Hubballi, while construction workers were being extended help in other parts of the State. “Consequently, Labour Minister Shivaram Hebbar had promised to send more food kits to Hubballi. Accordingly, he has taken steps and directed officials to take up immediate distribution of food kits to workers,” he said.
Mr. Horatti said that each food kit comprised 12 kg of various foodgrains and he would thank the government for coming to the help of the workers, whose lives had become miserable due to the pandemic.
In-charge Assistant Commissioner of Labour Mallikarjun Jagur briefed about the activities of the department and said that the district had 84,000 registered construction workers. The district had received 60,000 kits. Accordingly, the food kits were being distributed among the workers. Following a direction from the Supreme Court, food kit distribution is being taken up in all the districts of the State, he said.
Labour Officer Marikamba Hulakoti, various officials of the department and trade union leaders were present.
