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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

1,100 of 1,600 hydel labourers evacuated from North Sikkim

LABOUR DEPTT KEEPS WATCH TO ENSURE AFFECTED LABOURERS GET THEIR DUE

GANGTOK, 28 Sept: Nearly 1,100 labourers have been evacuated and accounted for out of an approximate number of 1,600 labourers engaged by various companies in the Chungthang area and beyond.
A team from the Labour department led by the Minister Neeru Sewa, Secretary CT Wangdi and Deputy Labour Commissioner returned to Gangtok on 26 September after spending almost a week in North Sikkim to verify the labour count as well as to see to it that the companies, especially Teesta Urja [the largest employer there], provided the labourers with provisions and medical as well as evacuation facilities. Of this approximate figure of 1,600 labourers, 22 have been recorded as killed in the earthquake.
As of now, most of the labourers have been accounted for, as per figures with the department. A clearer picture seems to be emerging as far as the labour situation in North Sikkim is concerned, however, the true labour count – and missing, if any - will only be known when all have been evacuated and the figures of the work-force engaged by the army, ITBP and BRO come in.
While many labourers have returned home on their own, there were still around 300 to 400 labourers stranded at Chungthang on 26 September.
In the approximate figure of 1,600 labourers in North Sikkim, those engaged by the army, ITBP and BRO are not included. This figure also does not include the labourers engaged at Lachen and Lachung or those engaged in private households. This figure comprises only the labourers engaged by Teesta Urja and the various companies contracted by it.
The Deputy Labour Commissioner today informed that while there are various companies engaged in the hydel project dam site at Chungthang, Teesta Urja is the principal employer and bears the ultimate responsibility for the safety and security of the labourers.
It was informed that the department has directed the army, ITBP and BRO to forward its detailed list of labourers to the department so that it can assess the total number of labourers from those evacuated and those remaining; besides they have also been directed to open relief camps for the labourers.
Additional Secretary, Labour, PW Rinzing, adds that almost all labourers of North Sikkim have been registered with the Labour Department.
“This proved to be a good thing as we started the registering process from north district,” he shares.
This means that the department can cross check with Teesta Urja on the labour count of those who have been evacuated from the total labourers. He further stated that the department was also contemplating to communicate with each and every labourer individually at a later date which would help in verifying the number of deaths and missing, if any.
Officials also stated that it was for Teesta Urja to verify the claims of the labour contractors on the number of deaths and missing as these figures will be forwarded by the labour contractors of the various sub contracting companies to Teesta Urja.
The team from the Labour Department took note of the number of labourers exiting Chungthang and Mangan and was there to ensure that they were provided with buses at Mangan. It was informed that just over a 1000 labourers were recorded as having been evacuated from Chungthang. This record was being kept by Teesta Urja officials and was handed over to the department officials, it is informed.
The team from the Labour Department also personally visited the tunnels of the dam site and it is informed that all tunnels are fine except for one which has suffered some damage.
“There are no dead bodies in the tunnels as is being rumoured. The tunnels are all clear,” stated the Deputy Labour Commissioner, who was part of the team.
A final assessment will be made after subtracting from the total labour population the number of those who have been evacuated, the deaths and the total number of labourers remaining.
Apart from the Rs. 5 lakh announced by Teesta Urja for each labour casualty, the next of kin of labourers killed in the earthquake will also be entitled to compensation under the Employees Compensation Act, 1923 and the Building and Other Construction Welfare Cess Act, 1992. Under the former Act all deaths will be compensated as well as injuries as per procedure, that is to say, compensation will be computed considering the age, salary and other factors of the labourers.
The Additional Secretary also informed that under the latter Act those registered labourers  and their families will be further entitled to insurance claim of Rs. 1 lakh for each death apart from compensation for injuries. For this purpose the department has already started communicating with New India Insurance Company.
The team from the Labour Department also aided in the relief operations and organized camps and vehicles for the stranded labourers apart from ensuring that the tunnels were cleared.
The Department has also asked the other 3 districts to forward labour details in their jurisdiction.

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