KSU checking drive on despite CM’s statement that there is no
work permit system in the state
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 13: Police have intensified patrolling following multiple reports of migrant labourers being assaulted during checking conducted by pressure groups in the city.
Director General of Police (DGP) Idashisha Nongrang said the police have taken several steps and increased patrolling in the wake of the incidents.
“We are also taking other steps like additional deployment and conducting mobile naka checking etc,” the DGP said.
Asked about the perception that police need to be tough to deal with such incidents, Nongrang refused to comment anything.
For the past week or so, the pressure groups, mainly Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), are visiting construction sites to check the documents of labourers. The KSU had, in fact, set up its own ILP check gate in Ri-Bhoi. It was, however, dismantled soon after.
At least two incidents of assault of labourers were reported. Some workers were assaulted at the JN Stadium while there were also reports of National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) labourers being assaulted in Mawiong area when they were doing road construction work.
The police have registered at least four cases. Summonses were issued to a few leaders of the KSU to appear before police stations.
KSU checking drive continues for fifth day
Despite Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s statement that it is illegal for any individual or organisation to carry out checking of documents of a labourer, the KSU is still carrying out this activity.
It has, in fact, gone beyond from construction workers to petrol pump attendants, shops and tea stalls. The union also also expanded the drive from Shillong to other parts of the state.
Asked about the ongoing checking by the pressure groups in Shillong, Sangma had recently said there is nothing like work permit.
He had said that there is a process whereby labourers are registered by the Labour department. He had added that this is done for their safety and to keep their records.
Stating that nobody is authorised to check the documents of labourers, Sangma had admitted that incidents do occur when individuals and groups go and conduct checking but he said this is not as per the law.
“They are on the wrong side of the law,” he had stated, while disclosing that four cases have been registered against different pressure groups which conducted checking recently.
The chief minister had also stated that the state government is not soft on the pressure groups as perceived and had criticised the media for not reporting government actions against such groups.
Action from the state government is felt wanting as the drive to detect those working without valid documents and send them back entered the fifth day.
Apart from the case of assault at JN Stadium on July 6, six labourers employed by the NHIDCL to work on the Shillong-Umiam road maintenance project were allegedly assaulted by the pressure group members the same day.
The injured persons were taken to Guwahati for further treatment. One of them sustained grievous injuries.
On Saturday, the KSU Mawthadraishan Circle detected 12 migrant workers without valid documents. They were employed at two petrol pumps in Nongshillong and Mawphanlur.
The KSU reported that five migrant workers at the petrol pump in Nongshillong in Eastern West Khasi Hills and seven workers in Mawphanlur in West Khasi Hills did not have valid documents and were instructed to return to their place of origin.
The KSU issued a warning to contractors, advising them not to bring workers without valid documents.
Shillong Police had “arrested” KSU Nongthymmai Circle president Eric Nongkynrih on Thursday in connection with the alleged assault of labourers during a work permit checking drive by the union. However, he was released within two hours after several KSU leaders landed at the police station.
The police, however, denied they had arrested the KSU leader.
A senior police official said on Saturday that some members of the pressure groups who had been issued notices came to depose before the police.
According to the official, the investigation is ongoing and police personnel have also been deployed at many construction sites.
The official maintained that they are ready to act on complaints and appealed to everyone to abide by the law of the land.