Hyderabad: The Human Rights Forum (HRF) has urged the Telangana labour department to protect the rights of migrant workers, highlighting the worsening conditions at labour camps near construction sites in Hyderabad and Rangareddy.
Amid the real estate boom, several highrise building constructions are taking place at a fast pace
in Hyderabad, especially in areas surrounding Gachibowli and Kokapet. Construction
companies rely on contractors to get migrant workers from Odisha, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Contractors are assigned with building the workforce and labour camps and provide them with water and toilet facilities. However, in this process, the HRF stated that several human rights and labour violations were taking place.
In a letter addressed to the secretary of the state labour department, the HRF stated that several violations were taking place due to the lack of supervision and regular inspections. “No officer ever inspected the premises and checked the records (to maintain them as per section 20(2) of the Labour Act),” stated the HRF. “The replies we received from the labour department through RTI indicate the same,” they added.
They urged the secretary to set up a commission to inspect the violations and to ensure that the workers are paid their wages as per the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 and contractors/principal employers are obliging the law.
HRF stated that it has found violations of the following sections of the Act in multiple fact findings conducted on the ground.
- Despite section 23 of the Act binding contractors to maintain a passbook in the language that workers can understand with joining date and wages, it was not followed.
- Sections 39, 40 and 45 related to amenities to be provided by the contractor like potable water, a sufficient number of toilets etc., were also not being provided.
- Section 41 of the Act rules that if the work continues for more than 6 months, then it is the duty of the contractor or the employer to establish and maintain a canteen for the benefit of the workers. However, no such facility is being provided.
“We have received information that in many camps, the workers have to go out and buy groceries and other cooking items and cook for themselves in the provided living space,” added the HRF. - Section 44 of the Act dictates that if the work continues for more than 3 months, then it is the duty of the contractor or the employer to establish and maintain a crèche for the workers’ children who are below 6 years old. This too was not being maintained.
The forum also called on the department to carry out regular inspections of labour camps to ensure compliance with regulations on sanitation, safety, and living conditions. They emphasised the need for strict enforcement of existing labour laws that guarantee fair wages, safe working conditions, and access to basic amenities for all workers, regardless of their origin.
Additionally, the forum recommended organizing awareness programs for both construction companies and migrant labourers to educate them about their rights and responsibilities.
They also advocated for the establishment of a strong grievance redress mechanism that allows workers to report violations without fear of retaliation.
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