The Hindu : CPI (M) plans fast to seek justice for affected workers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 08, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Pondicherry

CPI (M) plans fast to seek justice for affected workers

By Our Staff Reporter

Pondicherry March 7. The Pondicherry CPI (M) Secretary, T Murugan has said that a relay fast would be launched in front of the Assembly premises here on March 15 by the volunteers of his party to seek justice for the workers of a privately run bottle container production unit.

Talking to newsmen here today, he said that he would lead the first on the first day while it would be held on subsequent days under leadership of functionaries of the different wings of the party.

Mr. Murugan said that five workers of the unit died of the silicosis disease and seven others were admitted for the treatment in the hospital.

Asserting that there should be proper monitoring of such units Mr. Murugan said that the Administration should immediately release Rs 5 lakhs to the families bereaved of the death of girls.

He said 450 women workers now working on contract basis in the factory were also running also the risk of being affected by pollution.

The Department of Labour and also the Pollution Control Committee should waste no time to monitor the industry as it had already started showing its deleterious effect on the health of the workers.

The party volunteers would hold `meet the people' programmes simultaneously at 20 centres in Pondicherry region to urge the Administration to ensure that the date of civic polls was announced in the coming budget session of the Assembly.

Cycle rallies would also be held as part of meeting the people.

`Provide compensation'

The Secretary of the Pondicherry District unit of the CITU, Durai Arumugham today urged the Government to provide compensation to the families of the girls who died of pollution in the unit.

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