‘Provide at least `25 lakh to kin of labourers who met watery grave’

By Maqsood Maniyar | NT

Bengaluru: Trade unions said that contractor’s negligence caused the death of two migrant contractual labourers drowned to death after water from a drain flooded an underground pipeline on Tuesday.

They added that things needed to change to ensure that labourers don’t suffer the same fate in the future.

Chief Minister Bommai had announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased but some trade unions said that the victims should get more as they were the only breadwinners for thier familes.

The deceased Devabharath (30) from Bihar and Ankit Kumar (28) from Uttar Pradesh worked with Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) on a project.

Jnana Bharathi police station has registered cases against the contractor among others.

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) state president S Varalakshmi termed the accident “reprehensible.”

“It wasn’t Bengaluru that had received heavy rains due to the cyclone. A red alert was issued for Karavali and coastal districts as well. Under such circumstances, the contractor sending the contractual labourers down for work with no precautions was exploitation. The contractor’s license must be canceled and the families of the workers must get Rs 25 lakh in compensation each,” she said.

All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) state president Somashekhar Yadgir echoed the sentiments. “It is definitely the government’s inaction. No two ways about it. They were aware about the heavy rain forecast. People were terrified. Media had also alerted the people. Despite this, they did not take precautionary measures,” he said.

“The compensation should be released to their families immediately. Their dependents, their wives and children should get aid,” he added. “Their families should also get government jobs,” Yadgir said.

Audit required: AICCTU
All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) representative and lawyer Maitreyi Krishnan said that to improve the conditions under which the labourers worked an audit was necessary. “BWSSB has to be seen as the employer and it is a part of the state government. So they have to take responsibility. An audit needs to be done on safety measures because you cannot have more people losing their lives like this,” she said. Contracting labourers itself was unethical and that the workers should be regularised, she added.