BENGALURU: Revenue Minister R Ashok on Tuesday issued a warning to real estate firms, realtors and contractors, stating that contractors will be blacklisted if labourers are asked to leave the construction site.
Addressing the media at the sidelines of a meeting held with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials, CREDAI members and labour department officials, he said that there are over one lakh labourers in the city who are working in granite, paint, concrete mix and construction sites.
“I visited Peenya and areas around Ragihalli and saw the plight of the stranded labourers. I had to stop people from fleeing. Villagers have sealed their borders for safety reasons, which is a good initiative, but the act has stranded the migrant labourers. Hence, the contractors must ensure that they take care of their food, shelter and medical needs and if any labourer is found outside, the contractor will be blacklisted,” he said.
He said that a meeting held with senior officials of CREDAI, they discussed that at least 4,000 labourers were working on their sites. The minister said, “If labourers are asked to leave then the builders’ licence will be cancelled. Tempos and other vehicles carrying labourers will be seized.”
According to minister Ashok, the disaster management centre has been allotted `25 crore to ensure all arrangements are made. The labour department has also been roped in. The labour department should ensure the labourers are given adequate food, water and medicines.He also directed all corporators to ensure that labourers are not evacuated from their wards. Corporators should alert the police if they are informed of such act.