No glue yet for their lives

By V. Geetanath

HYDERABAD, DEC. 2. They are up and ready by dawn. The motley group of masons and labourers collect the cement-sand-gravel mix as their hard labour gives shape to swank buildings and giant infrastructure projects in virgin lands. In a few months' time, the construction is over and the skilled and unskilled labour make their way to another site. Another construction. But, their work remains unsung.

Real estate boom or not, construction activity is a continuous one. While hundreds of crores of rupees are spent on this activity, the quality of life of these construction workers, who in numbers are next only to the agriculture labour, is pathetic.

They being in the unorganised sector and doing contractual jobs, the existing labour laws are not applicable to them, be it the minimum wages act, contract labour (regulation and abolition) act or others. As no records are maintained, social security benefits like pension, insurance, gratuity or loans are absent.

"We are like birds moving from one tree to the other. We have no permanent address. Wherever there is work, we go," says Mukkanti, a worker at Jubilee Hills. These labour migrate to the city from districts as far as from Nellore. Depending on the nature of the job, age and sex, the wages range from Rs. 50 to Rs. 120 per day.

"We slog for six days a week till the last ounce of energy is sapped. After that, it is back to the village," says Yadamma, another worker. While their migration is out of desperation, the return to roots could be accidental.

Accidents at worksites are common with no safety measures and medical facilities non-existent. Nor is there any compensation. "If the employer is kind, medical expenses are taken care of during mishaps but more often we are left to fend for ourselves," says Venkaiah, another worker.

It is in the light of these problems that trade unions and conscientious citizenry have been clamouring for regulating employment in the construction and building industry and, more importantly, a law which redresses the unique problems of these workers.

Interestingly, the Central Government passed such an Act for the construction and building workers in Parliament in 1996, empowering State Governments to set up respective regulatory authorities.

Bemoans Mr. P. Nageswara Rao, general secretary, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), State Council, "Time and again we have been urging the State Government to appoint a labour board for construction workers, but in vain".

The law entails several measures which can bring cheer to the construction labour like compulsory registration of workers (between 18 to 60 years) and employers and formation of a board with representatives of workers, contractors and the Government. Such boards are to be formed at the district level too.

Each registered worker contributes a small amount of Rs. 10 to Rs. 20 per month while the employer/contractor set aside one per cent of the construction cost with the Government chipping in with annual grants. This body will determine the working conditions, wages and provide for benefits like maternity, pensions, compensations in case of injuries and so on.

"We want every worker involved in the construction activity to get benefited unlike in Tamil Nadu where the Act is applicable for projects with 50 workers," says Mr. G. Srinivas Rao, another trade union leader.

However, there seems to be no forward movement on the part of the Andhra Pradesh Government. Approached, a senior labour welfare officer said "there has been no discussion at all in the department on the issue. In any case, new government regulations will only add to the paper work and bureaucratic hassles. Also, we do not have the manpower to oversee it."

Obviously, the unorganised construction labour's voice is not yet heard.

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Section  : Southern States
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