Notice to government over labour law violation at Games sites

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Wednesday issued notice to the central government and other civic agencies for violating labour laws at the construction sites for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw issued notice to the central government, Delhi government, Sports Authority of India and all concerned civic agencies to respond by Feb 3.

“You (government) can suggest of constituting a monitoring committee like we have in Asian Games, so that rights of labourers should not be violated,” the bench said.

The court was hearing a public interest petition filed by Peoples Union for Democratic Rights, stating that as many as 49 workers have died due to harsh and miserable working conditions.

“Approximately 415,000 contract daily wage workers are working on these projects for the Commonwealth Games but these workers are treated in contravention of law. These were not paid adequately, no payment for overtime, no compensation if worker dies while working, no identity cards were issued and no safety equipments were given,” the petition states.

“Many of the workers were living in over-crowded hovels, 8 persons to a room without doors, without protection during winter, without electricity and without toilets. The workers who came from Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab were not given the benefits of the Interstate Migrant Workers Act and were totally at the mercy of the contractors,” the petition further reads.