From Our Correspondent
NONGSTOIN: The KSU (Nongstoin Circle) under the leadership of its president Davis Goldfield Wanniang on Friday sent back 62 labourers working in the saw mills at the Nongstoin Industrial Estate for not possessing legitimate papers.
“Some of them did have labourers’ license in their possession but the such papers could easily be manipulated and forged,” KSU members said.
According to the KSU, none of the labourers has work permits. The Union served the owners of the saw mills a 15-day deadline to produce the work permits for the labourers failing which it would shut the mills. The KSU also found nine underage workers engaged in the Industrial Estate.
“We sent the labourers back to their hometown and they were asked to return only when they have relevant papers. The minors were asked to produce their birth certificates,” KSU members said.
Speaking to this scribe, Wanniang said that the Govt had implemented the laws for issuing working permit and it was mandatory for all migrant workers to be in possession of these permits. He said he was surprised how porous the state was and felt that the administration needed to be alert and cautious on this issue. He also lambasted the Labour Department for not implementing the Inter- State Migrant Workmen Act of 1979 that had been enforced by the State Govt.
The Union also inspected the BSC C&C JV unit at Sohpian near Nongstoin and warned the senior engineer of the company to get the requisite papers of the labourers including the staff at the earliest, to avoid any problems.