Kolar City witnesses series of protests

Construction workers, Forest Dept staff and CPM members stage stirs

Construction workers, employees of Forest Department and members of CPM took to the streets on Thursday, demanding benefits.

Daily wage workers of the Forest Department assembled at the traveller’s bungalow, and demanded the release of regular wages.

They then conducted a protest march to deputy Forest Conservator’s office. Meantime, construction workers conduct a protest to ask the Welfare Committee to provide benefits which they are normally entitled to.

CPM members also staged a protest in front of the DC’s office, demanding houses for people who were evacuated from their huts at Vivekanandanagar in Mulbagal.

Protests explained

Daily Wage Workers of State Government Forest Department Association and workers from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes who are employed at Forest Department, staged a protest against the irregular payment of wages.

“Until 1991, workers who had joined two decades ago were given minimum wages. Later, daily wage workers were asked to work under the conditions of the Petty Cash Payment (PCP). But since workers started working under the PCP, they have had to wait for four months for wages. The condition has not improved in 10 years,” protesters said.

The protests have caused the Chief Forest Conservation Officer to direct subordinates to give additional wages to those workers who fall under the PCP. “But, this has remained only on paper,” workers claimed. “Forget additional wages, we are not even getting our monhtly wages.”

‘Labour Dept neglects’

Construction Workers’ Association members spoke against the negligence of the Labour Department in registering their names for various benefits and alleged that workers are frequently denied benefits provided by the Construction Workers’ Welfare Board — unless one is registered under the Department.

“It has been many months since we have applied to be registered to the Board, to apply for benefits. But the registration process is not yet complete. Moreover, there are loopholes even in the identity cards distributed so far,” they added.

Their list of demands include: provide benefits to eligible workers, give information about applications submitted to the Department so far and dispose of applications submitted for registration at the Board.

They also asked for the appointment of a labour inspector at Srinivaspur taluk —but said that until the the appointment is made, the labour inspector in Kolar should be given the responsibility of looking into applications instead of the officer at Chikkaballapur. Lastly, they demanded the allotment of houses or sites through the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Board for homeless workers.

Solidarity with Dalits

CPM protests CPM members also expressed disappointment over the evacuation of dalits living in huts at Vivekanandanagar in Mulbagal.

“These people were living in those huts for 30 years and had obtained title deeds 25 years ago. They also had ration cards, voters ID and  were included in other documents of the Government. They were forced to leave the place overnight.

Till now they have not been provided any alternate residence or place to stay,” protesters said.

They also asked that homeless dalits be provided sites and houses built under the Housing Schemes. “A rehabilitation centre should be opened to provide food for the homeless and to initiate action against officers, who with the help of land owners, drove them from their homes,” they said.