<p>The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) on Thursday issued a statement denying all charges leveled in a legal notice it has been served by an advocate on behalf of some of the migrant workers engaged in construction work at the institute's premises.</p>.<p>The institute stated that "issues raised in the notice do not stand the test of scrutiny and yet it is being circulated and being quoted by individuals and the press without regard for the veracity of the details."<br /><br />The legal notice was issued a day after violent clashed erupted between migrant workers and police on May 18. The notice, issued by advocate Anand Yagnik on behalf of the workers, alleges that IIMA did not pay wages to the workers for two months during the lockdown and made no efforts to "repatriate them to their native states" despite being principal employer.<br /><br />According to police report, the workers got angry after their repeated demand to allow them to travel back home were not heeded by their employer firm identified as PSP Limited. Police FIR mentions names of 35 workers as accused along with a mob of 250 to 300 who went berserk and vandalised property of construction firm's office and security cabin inside the IIMA's new campus where the construction is going on.<br /><br />On the issue of wages to the labourers, the institute states that "We invite anyone who is interested to check the records on this... We have verified that all due payments have been made to workers. We do not have a pending bill as of the date of the serving of the legal notice."<br /><br />The institute has also denied allegations that it never wanted the workers to leave. It says that construction was stopped by May 7 "in deference to the wishes of the workers. The contractor co-ordinated with the administration for the repatriation of the workers. Workers from U P and Bihar were provided trains but unfortunately the public authorities did not arrange for trains to Jharkhand and West Bengal."<br /><br />The legal notice also alleges workers were not medically examined as two of them tested positive after the clash. "The health authorities have visited the facility where the workers are staying and have taken samples during the last two months. These tests came out negative. People can be asymptomatic for a period of time with no preliminary symptoms such as fever, cough, etc," the statement reads. It further claims, 'The unrest of the workers from the construction site is not about wages and living conditions but about the delay in obtaining travel permits and the arranging of transportation by the public authorities to take them back to their home states."<br /> <br />The issue of migrant workers demanding permission to go back to their native states has turned violent several times in various part of the state. Following these unrest, government started special Shramik trains for them. According to government, by Wednesday midnight, a total of 10,20,000 workers were sent home in as many as 693 trains.</p>
<p>The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) on Thursday issued a statement denying all charges leveled in a legal notice it has been served by an advocate on behalf of some of the migrant workers engaged in construction work at the institute's premises.</p>.<p>The institute stated that "issues raised in the notice do not stand the test of scrutiny and yet it is being circulated and being quoted by individuals and the press without regard for the veracity of the details."<br /><br />The legal notice was issued a day after violent clashed erupted between migrant workers and police on May 18. The notice, issued by advocate Anand Yagnik on behalf of the workers, alleges that IIMA did not pay wages to the workers for two months during the lockdown and made no efforts to "repatriate them to their native states" despite being principal employer.<br /><br />According to police report, the workers got angry after their repeated demand to allow them to travel back home were not heeded by their employer firm identified as PSP Limited. Police FIR mentions names of 35 workers as accused along with a mob of 250 to 300 who went berserk and vandalised property of construction firm's office and security cabin inside the IIMA's new campus where the construction is going on.<br /><br />On the issue of wages to the labourers, the institute states that "We invite anyone who is interested to check the records on this... We have verified that all due payments have been made to workers. We do not have a pending bill as of the date of the serving of the legal notice."<br /><br />The institute has also denied allegations that it never wanted the workers to leave. It says that construction was stopped by May 7 "in deference to the wishes of the workers. The contractor co-ordinated with the administration for the repatriation of the workers. Workers from U P and Bihar were provided trains but unfortunately the public authorities did not arrange for trains to Jharkhand and West Bengal."<br /><br />The legal notice also alleges workers were not medically examined as two of them tested positive after the clash. "The health authorities have visited the facility where the workers are staying and have taken samples during the last two months. These tests came out negative. People can be asymptomatic for a period of time with no preliminary symptoms such as fever, cough, etc," the statement reads. It further claims, 'The unrest of the workers from the construction site is not about wages and living conditions but about the delay in obtaining travel permits and the arranging of transportation by the public authorities to take them back to their home states."<br /> <br />The issue of migrant workers demanding permission to go back to their native states has turned violent several times in various part of the state. Following these unrest, government started special Shramik trains for them. According to government, by Wednesday midnight, a total of 10,20,000 workers were sent home in as many as 693 trains.</p>
