THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In A damage-control exercise, the state government swung into action on Monday asking the Labour Commissioner to intervene and resolve through talks the issue relating to CITU forcing closure of a hardware shop in Kannur. Labour Minister V Sivankutty instructed Labour Commissioner S Chitra to hear both parties and resolve the issue by arriving at a consensus, an official release said.
While protecting the rights of workers, a conducive atmosphere should be created for the smooth functioning of commercial and industrial establishments, the minister said. Meanwhile, Industries Minister P Rajeeve said CITU state leadership should intervene to resolve such issues.
“It is important to make sure that such incidents do not occur in Kerala. We have developed an investor-friendly atmosphere here,” he said, responding to queries by reporters in Kochi. This is an isolated incident. The positive steps taken by the government are not getting highlighted while such incidents are getting magnified, Rajeeve alleged.
Sivankutty says four at shop denied cards earlier
Narrating the incidents that triggered the controversy, Sivankutty said four labourers in the hardware store at Mathamangalam had applied for headload worker card to the Assistant Labour Officer, Payyannur. However, headload worker welfare scheme had already been implemented in the area. If they got the card, 23 registered labourers under Headload Workers Welfare Fund Board would have become jobless.
Hence, the assistant labour officer rejected the application. The district labour officer ratified the decision. The shop owner moved the High Court and earned a favourable verdict after which the labourers were issued the card, the minister said.
Abandoning L10-cr mall project: NRK
In a viral social media post, a non-resident Keralite has alleged that hurdles created by the unnecessary interventions of panchayat officials have left him with no choice but to abandon a D10-crore ‘Village Mall’ project at Karumadi in Thakazhi panchayat.