India News | Complying with Order to Provide Subsistence to Construction Workers in NCR, Rajasthan, UP Tell SC
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh governments have told the Supreme Court that they are complying with the November 24 direction of providing subsistence to construction workers adversely impacted by the re-imposition of ban on such activities to curb air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
New Delhi, Dec 15 (PTI) Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh governments have told the Supreme Court that they are complying with the November 24 direction of providing subsistence to construction workers adversely impacted by the re-imposition of ban on such activities to curb air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
The apex court, on November 24, had re-imposed the ban on construction activities in Delhi and the national capital region (NCR) and directed the NCR states to provide subsistence to workers from the funds collected as labour cess for the period during which the ban remained in force.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana then on December 10 took note of the submissions that Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh governments are yet to file compliance affidavits on the issue related to payment of money to construction workers.
"The Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board, State of Rajasthan, granted financial and administrative sanction to the Joint Labour Commissioner of Alwar and Joint Labour Commissioner, Bharatpur (these two districts fall under the NCR) for an amount of Rs 50 lakh each for payment of minimum wages to construction workers who were rendered idle due to prohibition on construction activities pursuant to the order of the apex court...,” Sharad Saksena , Regional officer of the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, said in the affidavit.
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The affidavit said as per the Minimum Wages Act and the notification "unskilled workers are to be paid Rs 252 per day or Rs 6,552 per month, semi-skilled workers are to be paid Rs 264 per day or Rs 6,864 per month and skilled worker to be paid Rs 276 per day or Rs 7,176 per month.”
The Rajasthan government said that it has been apprised that in Alwar, 198 such workers have been “rendered idle” and 69 are reported in Bharatpur and they would be paid the amount as per the notification after the verification by the district collector.
The Uttar Pradesh, in its affidavit filed by K L Verma, Joint Secretary of Environment , Forest and Climate Change department, said that it has decided to pay Rs 1,000 per week to such workers.
"The Disaster Relief Assistance Scheme is being driven by the UP Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board, under which the registered construction workers are to be provided assistance for maintenance of their families in case of disaster," it said.
"Under the said scheme, in view of the COVID-19 ... the process of providing one-time amount of Rs 1,000 in lump sum in Aadhaar-based payment mode will be given to those workers who are registered with the board and had their Aadhaar verified," the affidavit said.
Earlier on December 10, the apex court had taken note of “slight” improvement in air pollution level in Delhi-NCR and permitted the commission on air quality management to take a decision on various representations seeking easing of curbs, like ban on construction activities, within a week.
On December 3, the bench had directed the Centre and the NCR states to implement the panel on air quality management order to curb pollution and sought a proposal to ensure switching over of all industrial units to PNG or cleaner fuel in a time-bound manner or face closure.
The commission had said that a five-member enforcement task force has been set up to contain air pollution in Delhi and NCR and 40 squads would monitor the implementation of measures suggested by it to deal with pollution.
The panel had also said that 17 flying squads have been set up to ensure the implementation of various measures mandated by the court which would be raised to 40 within 24 hours.
Ban on entry of trucks, excluding those carrying essential goods and those running on cleaner fuel, will continue, it said.
The bench has been passing orders on a plea filed by Aditya Dubey seeking urgent steps to improve the air quality in Delhi-NCR.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)