Labour unions, student body demand Assam govt compensate Chennai plant mishap victims

Guwahati, Oct 5: Four organisations of the State – Assam Majuri Shramik Union, Forum for Social Harmony, AIKMS and New Trade Union Initiative – on Saturday demanded that the Assam government pay proper compensation to the families of the nine labourers, who died in an accident in Tamil Nadu recently.

All the nine victims of the accident hailed from Hojai and Karbi Anglong districts and belonged to Dimasa community. They met with the accident while working in a construction site on September 30.

In a joint statement, the organisations said, “According to the family members of the victims, around 80 per cent adult male population of their villages are working as migrant labourers outside the State, as there is no employment option available in their localities. Outside the State, they are also working on very low wages. This situation proves the weak economic condition of Assam. So the State government must accept its responsibility in connection with the tragic accident.”

The leadership of the organizations alleged that continuous migration of youths from Assam to other parts of the country in search of job has exposed the reality of economic condition of the State.

“It is the responsibility of the Assam government to ensure security of the migrant workers who have left the State in search for jobs. This section of people has migrated to the other States, as the Assam government could not arrange employment options for them. But the State government did nothing for them. At least the government needs to maintain a database of migrant workers from Assam working in different parts of the country,” the statement said.

In the statement, they also alleged that there was exploitation of migrant labourers working in the Special Economic Zones.

Meanwhile, The All Dimasa Students’ Union’s (ADSU) central committee has also appealed the appealed to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for compensation and a probe following the death of nine Dimasa Kachari workers.

While expressing grief, the union also lauded the State government for ensuring the swift repatriation of the victims’ bodies.

ADSU described the State’s prompt assistance in bringing the bodies back to Assam as “swift and compassionate” but stressed that the families now face severe economic hardship and need urgent relief.