Death of two girls in Tamilnadu brick industry

two girls died inside bricklin industry

To,

Mr. Naveen Patnaik
Chief Minister of Odisha, Bhubaneswar

Sub: Regarding compensation and criminal action for death of two girls in Tamilnadu brick industry

Honourable sir;

Here, we are bringing before you a shocking incident that two girls of Manjher panchayat of Golamunda block of Kalahandi district named 1) Jayamani Chandi D/o Sajan Chandi age 22 and 2)  Madanabati Chandi D/o Mangal Chandi age 18 died on 3rd June 2020 while loading bricks inside the lorry. This incident happened at M/s Sri Karthikeyan Bricks, Vazhuthigaimedu Village, Ponneri Taluk, Tiruvallur district of Tamilnadu. This industry is owned by Mr. Thiru R. Sudhakaran.

The video captured after pulling out the girls from huge bricks show no gloves, helmets and boots or any other equipment in their hands or heads or legs. The co-workers had pulled them up and by that time both had died.

We can say it was not an accident rather murder may be without intention. But no action has yet been taken against the owner. From the workers we are getting information that family members of both deceased have only been assured of rupees one and half lakh compensation which even if be given will not be sufficient.

It is matter of concern that this Golamunda block of Kalahandi district from where these workers had gone, has been a migration hub. People are forced to accept out migration even to this brick industry where social security measures are least. Large number of people from this district and particularly from this block are migrating to brick farm of Tamilnadu shows government’s apathy towards poor people. This is reason why they are migrating thousands of kilometre and are working without any protection of human rights.

This is our surprise that all these migrant workers including those girls are coming under the constituency of Captain Divya Shankar Mishra, state Home Minister of Odisha. But the registration of them as per the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 has not been done. So, they have not been protected by any social security measure time to time pronounced by different governments. The administration came to know about them after accident happened.

Such Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act says all workmen are entitled to wages similar to other workmen, displacement allowance, journey allowance, and payment of wages during the period of journey. The act ensures that all those workers should have regular payment, free medical facilities and protective clothing for the workmen.

The document accessed by the human rights organisation of Tamilnadu shows the Geology Department of Government of Tamilnadu has given permission to remove ‘of brick earth from patta land as per Tamilnadu Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 1959’ before enquiring about whether the workers working in brick industry have been registered as per the Act or not. It is moral responsibility of a government to see whether the laws are properly maintained or not and whether the workers, backbone of an economy, are getting justice or not.

There are 136 workers were working in the industry. Due to pressure from various human rights and social organisations like PUCL and Construction Worker Organisations, the government of Tamilnadu is arranging of their return.

It is our surprise, they have not been paid of any wages of last two months. Only the owner had given them Rs 800 to each female member and Rs 1000 to each male member. After reaching Odisha they will be sent to the quarantine centers in district for a week. But they have no minimum ration and money to live in their villages after a week.

At this hour we demand before you;

1) Atleast compensation of rupees five lakh be given to relatives of both the girls.

2) The owner should be booked under Section 304a of IPC soon. Accordingly, the Home Department of Odisha should take this issue with the government of Tamilnadu for necessary action.

3)  The government should announce at least Rs. 10,000 per month for three months to each registered migrant worker who are going from quarantine center to their respective villages so that they could find time to sustain and could search better avenues in future.

4) The government should develop a master plan to develop living condition of people of Golamunda block so that they would not be forced to migrate and even if they do then their rights at least be protected.

Yours

 

Satyabadi Naik

State Coordinator

SC, ST, OBC and Religious Minorities Sangram Samiti, Kalahandi

 

Deba Ranjan

General Secretary

Ganatantrik Adhikar Surakha Sangathan, Odisha


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