Hisar, March 8: "Five men and 18 women workers were trapped inside a firecracker/paint factory in Geeta Colony, Safidon, Jind district, when a fire suddenly broke out. The main gate of the factory was locked from outside. The fire was so severe that four women died on the spot. The condition of seven other workers is critical.
Such accidents are occurring daily across Haryana. The government is proving completely ineffective in preventing them. Why are the relevant officials of the Labor Department and other government departments refusing to fulfill their responsibilities? They must answer for this. Factory owners and managers, driven by their greed for profit, are disregarding all rules, regulations, and laws, forcing workers to work like cattle. Workers are paying the price for this triad with their lives and disabilities. The families of the deceased and disabled workers are being devastated.
The AITUC believes that For such incidents in the state, including the one in Safidon, legal action should be taken against factory owners/managers, as well as the relevant officials of government departments, and they should also be severely punished.
All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTC) Haryana State Secretary Comrade Hari Prakash and State Vice President Mehar Singh Bangar further stated that the Haryana State Committee of AIUTC demands compensation of ?50 lakh each for the dependents of the workers killed in the Safidon incident, proper and high-quality treatment for the injured, and compensation of ?10 lakh each for them. They also demand that the government make concrete arrangements to prevent such incidents from happening again.
Factories in Haryana should not operate without following established standards. The government should ensure that workers are employed within the ambit of labor laws and that they receive their legal rights.