98 labour inspections done at CWG sites in 2010

As many as 98 labour inspections have been carried out at various Commonwealth Games (CWG) work sites to ensure that workers’ rights were being protected, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Harish Rawat Monday said.

“Labour inspectors carried out a number of inspections at CWG sites to check violations by various government, private agencies and contractors during the last three years and cases have been registered against the defaulters,” Rawat said in the Lok Sabha.

“In 2010, 98 inspections were carried out at the sites and 68 prosecution cases filed,” he added.

In 2008, the number of inspections carried out were 320 and cases filed were 302. In 2009 there were 560 inspections and 457 prosecution cases filed, the minister said.

In March this year, a report on the condition of labourers at Commonwealth Games sites was submitted by a high-level committee appointed by the Delhi High Court after it visited sites over a period of one month.

Reacting to the report, a division bench of acting Chief Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Mukta Gupta said: “Rights of these persons should be protected.”

Rawat said: “Under the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, 26,340 construction workers have been registered till date who are entitled to various welfare schemes.”