Noticing an increase in the number of migrant labourers in the construction sector, the special squads constituted with the support of the Health Department and the police have resumed their field inspections at various labour camps in the district. As the purpose is to collect information directly from the labourers, the inspections are mostly carried out during the night with the support of the local police.
Squad members say they mostly check the quality of basic facilities given to labourers in the camps. Overcrowded accommodation in small rooms or tents will not be permitted. The employers are responsible for providing workers with clean and hygienic rooms with access to clean drinking water and toilet facilities, they add.
Some employers have been fined for allotting unhygienic places to migrant workers in the city. Heads of various local self-government bodies and members have been asked to have a look at the quality of accommodation given to the labourers in their regions. The panchayat-level health squads will be responsible for reviewing the situation and reporting to higher authorities.
“For us, the priority is to prevent the outbreak of communicable diseases in labour camps. As a result of constant checking, the employers are more aware of their responsibilities,” says Valappil Razak, vice-president of Mavoor grama panchayat. He says that instances of shifting labourers to other camps to evade inspections have come down and the employers are now interested in providing better accommodation for the workers.
The police say the field inspections are part of enforcing law and order in the wake of reports that some migrant labourers are carriers of banned tobacco products and narcotic drugs. The squads will also ensure that persons involved in grievous crimes are not using labour camps as safe shelters, they add.
As earlier, the employers will be responsible for keeping a record of the hired labourers. Employment of workers who do not have valid documents to prove identity will be considered a serious violation of the law. The employers have also been asked to ensure proper life and medical insurance coverage for the workers with the help of government schemes.
