Telangana High Court blasts government for ignoring unorganized sector workers
HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Thursday asked the state government whether it had any sympathy for workers in the unorganised sector or not. The court said the doubt gains credence from the fact that it has not started the registration process for workers in that sector.
A division bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy was adjudicating a PIL filed by Congress leader Cilarapu Damodar Rajanarsimha, espousing the cause of the unorganised workers, the problems they are facing and the pathetic life they led during Covid-19 lockdown.
According to petitioner's counsel Ch Ravi Kumar, the government had failed to constitute the State Social Security Board for unorganised workers numbering over one crore. Many of them lost their livelihood. Now, they are left insecure and deprived of statutory protection and, are deprived of the benefits intended under the Labour Welfare Act.
Five months ago, during the first instance of hearing the PIL, the then division bench asked the government to appoint all 32 members of the board. Only two were appointed. They include the labour minister and an official from the labour department.
The bench questioned the government as to why it has not constituted the board when it had issued GO No. 36 for the purpose two years back. The government pleader was not in a position to tell the quantum of funds available with the board.
The court directed the government to reveal what funds were available with the board and the funds allotted by the Union and state governments.
The court summoned the labour commissioner to be present before it virtually on February 25, the next date of hearing, to explain the delay in constitution of a full-fledged board and why it had delayed starting the registration of workers from unorganised sector.
The Chief Justice found fault with the counter-affidavit of the labour commissioner wherein he stated that the issue of appointment of members to the board is under active consideration of the government and wondered if they wanted another five years to make the appointments.
