The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : State human rights panel slams denial of wages

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 20, 2007
ePaper

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

State human rights panel slams denial of wages

Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram: State Human Rights Commission member Justice V.P. Mohan Kumar has described the denial of eligible wages and basic facilities to workers from other states engaged in the construction sector of Kerala a serious violation of human rights.

He made this observation in an order passed on a complaint that workers brought from Maharashtra for work on the Ezhimala Naval Academy. The contractor there had not paid them proper wages.

Justice Mohan Kumar said it was cruel and insulting to deny eligible wages to workers after making them work day and night. It was because of the starvation which they faced in their home state that they came to Kerala in search of work and livelihood.

Making them work without wages amounted to exploiting their poverty and helplessness, he said. He disapproved of the employer’s direction to them to approach the industrial tribunal for their wage arrears. Making persons work without wages and basic facilities was also a violation Article 21 of the Constitution. He asked the Garrison Engineer of the Centre to pay the wage arrears in full and to realise it if necessary from the ‘Navyug Engineering Constructions which had undertaken the work and contractor K.G. Ganesan.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala