Bangalore: Minister for Labour and Minorities Iqbal Ansari has warned the managements of factories to fall in line with the stipulations of the Government in ensuring the safety of their employees, failing which the Government would take serious action.

He told presspersons here on Saturday that while most of the factories in the State were largely complying with the guidelines prescribed by the Department of Factories and Boilers, there were some of them who did not care to implement safety measures owing to capital costs. The Government had since directed the authorities concerned to visit such factories and take cognisance of violations, he said.

National Safety Day would be observed on Sunday. The occasion would be used to bring about an interaction between the employees and the managements of factories apart from personnel of the Department of Factories and Boilers and that of the Department of Labour.

The main programme this year would be held at Tornagal in Bellary district. Over 10,000 factory employees from Bellary, Koppal, Raichur and parts of Chitradurga districts will participate in the programme.

With reference to accidents reported within factories last year, Mr. Ansari said there were 1,308 accidents, in which 73 people died and over 500 were injured. A total of Rs 24.65 lakh was disbursed as compensation to the victims during the year. There are 10,730 registered factories in the State employing a total of 11 lakh people.

Mr. Ansari said of the nearly 11,000 factories, 2,900 were factories with boilers which have been classified as hazardous and called for stepped up safety measures within the environs. Of them, 1,000 were more hazardous factories and most of the accidents were reported in these factories.

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