Rights panel chief pulls up labour officials

Rights panel chief pulls up labour officials

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Labour Department officials came under the scanner of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Tuesday when SHRC chairman Justice S.R. Nayak reprimanded them for not visiting construction sites to inspect safety measures put in place by builders. He directed the officials to place a report on the visits of officials to the construction site during the last two years.

Mr. Nayak was on a visit to two construction sites — those of Sobha Developers and Golden Palms — near Hennur where two construction workers were killed on July 26. When N. Jayadevaiah, Deputy Labour Commissioner of Region-3, failed to provide him with convincing answers, Mr. Nayak said the department neglected safety measures of construction workers. While mason Babloo Roy Yadav, a native of Bihar died at Sobha Developers site last week, construction worker Paramananda, a native of Orissa died, at Golden Palms.

Mr. Nayak said: “Deprivation of absolute safety measures to the workers is a violation of human rights. You (Jayadevaiah) are not answering my queries properly and instead giving nonsense answers. Are you supporting proprietors by not visiting the construction sites to inspect the safety and healthy measures of workers?.”

Compensation paid

Sobha Developers in a release that Rs. 4,30,560 had been deposited into the account of Babloo Yadav as compensation to his family. In addition, the family was given Rs. 25,000 in cash and Rs. 5,000 for miscellaneous expenses.

Another Rs. 25,000 was deposited into the victim’s account. An official said that Golden Palms had deposited a compensation of Rs. 3,32,739 as compensation for Paramananda. Notices had been issued to the two builders on the alleged absence of safety measures.