THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Labour Commissionerate had issued a notice to reschedule the working time of the labourers during summer. This was done to avoid labourers from being exposed to intense sunlight leading to sun stroke. But, despite regular inspections by the Labour Department, workers continue to toil under the sun.
"We have issued notices to major contractors and they promised to comply with it. But violations are being seen in small construction sites such as the roads and canals. Every day inspections are being carried out in different parts of the city. Our squads are on the field and are regularly suspending works where labourers are working from 12 pm to 3 pm," said BS Rajeev, district labour officer, enforcement. Squads are regularly inspecting the Kazhakoottam National highway area where the flyover is being constructed and more violations have been noticed. As most of the labourers are migrant workers from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, the Labour department is also distributing circulars and circulating audio clips in Hindi and Tamil so that an awareness can be created among migrant workers about the ban on working during the peak hours.
"Most of the labourers are migrant workers and are still unaware of the direction to reschedule their working timings. They continue to work in construction sites and roads for long hours. We have spoken to the migrant workers about the change in their work timings but they are forced to work by their contractors," said Rajeev.
The squads have so far exposed five such incidents of labourers being employed during restricted working hours. The cases were all reported from the outskirts of the city. In places like Kazhakoottam, labourers were found constructing roads during the restricted hours as they are helpless. "I work from 8 am to 8 pm everyday. I am aware of the timings that are given by the labour department but I am forced to work because I get daily wages. It is very difficult to work in this scorching sun, especially during noon," says a 65-year-old road construction worker from Tamil Nadu working on the Kazhakoottam elevated highway who has managed to set up a tarpaulin.
Even the workers under corporation and PWD have been given directions to avoid working during the peak hours. Somehow most contractors have arrived at a conclusion that workers are willing to work during the restricted hours. However, some labourers begin their work at 6 am and wind up by noon. Although the restriction will be made more strict in the upcoming days, contractors excuse themselves citing deadlines.
Regardless, the Labour department has decided to continue the inspections until April 30 to check violations.