The Tamil Nadu government has proposed to set up an ESIC Medical College Hospital with advanced treatment facilities in Sivakasi, Minister for Labour Welfare and Skill Development C.V. Ganesan said.
Speaking at a workshop on Fireworks Safety organised here on Monday, he said the fireworks industry had over 56,000 registered workers, and they were prone to fire accidents.
Considering their needs, the State government has proposed to set up an ESIC Medical College Hospital at an estimated cost of ₹150 crore.
“Whenever an accident is reported in the fireworks unit, the workers are badly injured and often are required to undergo plastic surgery. The Chief Minister has ordered a proposal to establish the hospital with advanced treatment facilities,” he said.
The State government has forwarded the proposal to the Centre for its consideration, Mr. Ganesan added. The district administration has been asked to identify suitable land for the hospital, Revenue Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran said.
“After the Government Medical College at Virudhunagar, the Chief Minister has given a second medical college hospital in Sivakasi for the workers’ benefit,” he added.
Stating that most of the accidents reported in the fireworks industry was due to human error or negligence, Minister for Industries Thangam Thennarasu said the industry and the workers should strive to ensure zero accidents in the industry as it had abolished child labour in the past.
“The State government has made the proposal for the new medical college hospital under the Aspirational District category,” Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Labour Welfare and Skill Development, Md. Nasimuddin said.
The hospital will be exclusive for the workers and would have all facilities to cater to the needs of the victims of fireworks accidents, he added. Collector J. Meghanath Reddy said 16-acres of land had been identified in Sivakasi for the purpose.
Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Labour, Atul Anand, MLAs A.R.R. Srinivasan, A.R.R. Raghuram and G. Ashokan, Superintendent of Police M. Manohar and Deputy Chief Controller of Explosives S. Kandasamy were present.
