MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday issued notice to the central and state governments on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition seeking directions to ensure the safety and well-being of migrant workers in Tamil Nadu.
In his petition, the litigant, KK Ramesh of Madurai, stated that workers from north Indian states migrate to Tamil Nadu in large numbers due to lack of livelihood opportunities in their home states. However, these workers are exploited in Tamil Nadu by being paid very low wages and are made to work nearly 12 hours a day in unsafe working conditions, he alleged.
The provisions of Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979, which mandates registration of migrant workers, are also not being followed by many companies in the state, he added.
Citing several incidents of attacks against migrant workers in the state, including the recent attack on a migrant worker by four minor boys in Tiruttani, Ramesh sought a series of directions, including strict enforcement of laws regarding wages, working hours, etc. by the labour and other departments, to ensure safe and hygienic working and living conditions for migrant workers.
A bench of justices G Jayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan issued notice to the authorities concerned and adjourned the case for further hearing.