Safety concerns over night shift for women in Andhra Pradesh

Visakhapatnam: The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to allow women to work in night shifts in all factories. However, the safety of women at the workplaces and during travel at night are a cause of concern. Many factories do not have proper transportation.

Experts think that there are some hurdles in implementing the rule allowing women to work in night shifts. However, the move would benefit both the women and companies if managements do not have to spend much for the security of women.

Recently Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu directed managements to ensure the safety and health of women, provision equal opportunities, lunch roo-ms, rest rooms and night creches for kids apart from establishing a cell for protection from sexual harassment. He also said that managements should ens-ure that women are provided transport from factory to their residence.

Joint chief inspector of factories D. Chandrasek-hara Varma said the move would create opportunities for women in textile, jute and chemical industries. “At present, the atmosphere for women in industries is good. But, the management has to focus on safe transport. Most of the women are anaemic and managements must provide medicines,” he added.

There are 2,940 factories in north Andhra comprising Vizag, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts and about 36,000 women working in two shifts (6 am to 2 pm and 6 pm to 10 pm) in textile, jute and other factories in the region.

Due to self employment and migration of male workers.  There is also a lot of demand for women in textile industry. A senior official said that in the IT sector managements have been providing all facilities to women, but in the manufacturing sector there continues to be doubt on the facilities that will be provided to the women.