Pay wages to workers, HC tells BMRCL

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday directed the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to pay wages to construction workers in the presence of Inspector, Department of Labour.

The order was passed during the hearing of a PIL, filed by City-based social activist Samuel Satyaseelan, seeking better facilities and workers conditions for BMRCL construction workers.

The counsel for the petitioner had pointed out the problem in payment of wages to the workers.

The division bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice H G Ramesh directed contractors and sub-contractors of BMRCL to make the payments in accordance with law.

“To ensure that each worker is paid without any illegal deduction, it was agreed that each principal employer and sub-contractor will intimate the date of salary to the government, so that the inspector is present there and the order is implemented,” the bench observed and adjourned the matter.

HC dismisses plea

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday dismissed a petition, seeking the quashing of the award of contract to a private firm for setting up generic drug stores across the State.

M C Nagendra Rao and another, both residents of Mandya, had approached the court claiming that involvement of a private firm in the government-sponsored programme might push up drug prices.

The counsel for Esscubes Medisciences Private Limited, the company in question, submitted that drug prices were monitored by the Drug Price Control Authority under the Drug Price Control Act and the government can regulate the prices of drugs.

The government counsel submitted that the prices of drugs had been regulated and there was no question of they going out of control.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice H G Ramesh dismissed the petition, stating that such litigations should not be encouraged by any counsel or parties. “Public time and the time of court should not be wasted in the name of such PILs," the court noted.