'SEZ promised jobs for locals, but hired labourers from north'

DYFI state president Muneer Katipalla said Shree Ulka LLP, a fish processing plant in Mangaluru Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) where five labourers were killed after allegedly inhaling toxic gas on Sunday night, has submitted in writing to families that compensation would be transferred to their bank accounts within 15 days.

The company has promised to pay an interim compensation of Rs 15 lakh each to the kin of five labourers.

The DYFI and CITU leaders had threatened to stall the shifting of bodies to their villages until compensation was announced by the company.

The members of different organisations had demanded that the government should provide a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to families of victims.

Muneer said the West Bengal government had already announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to each of the victims.

Muneer alleged that Mangaluru SEZ had promised jobs for locals but hired labourers from north and northeastern states without providing them job security.

The labourers, appointed with help of contractors, worked as bonded labourers, Katipalla charged.

He urged the government to take strict action against violations being reported in the area and prevent a Bhopal Gas like a disaster, he added.

Preliminary report

Department of Factories Boilers Industrial Safety And Health has submitted a preliminary report on the incident to the Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V.

The officials are waiting for the post mortem report to ascertain the cause of death. The unit has been shut down temporarily.