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Anxious labourers continue to protest, social distancing goes for a toss in Ludhiana
On Friday, around 150 labourers gathered outside an export unit demanding wages
With the state reeling under curfew for the last over 25 days, migrant labourers continue to suffer due to lack of wages. While over 150 labourers in Macchiwara had protested on Wednesday, around 50 migrant labourers in Sherpur Kalan protested the next day demanding wages. On Friday, some labourers again protested outside an export unit for wages, defeating the purpose of the curfew.
These migrants, around 150 in number, gathered outside an export unit on Jugiana- Kangwal road in Sahnewal, stating that the owner had not paid their wages. Police pacified the protesting labourers but one of them, identified as Raju Yadav, was arrested for instigating the others.
Before his arrest, Yadav said the factory owner had not paid wages to all but cleared the dues of a select few. “It was becoming difficult for us to survive. Therefore, when we came to know that the owner is giving wages to some of the workers, I along with the other workers reached the factory to demand our dues,” he said while adding that later police intervened and asked the labourers to vacate the area and walk back to their quarters.
Sahnewal station house officer, inspector Inderjit Singh said that around 11am, he received an alert from the control room that some labourers are protesting outside AH Exports in Jugiana. A team rushed to the spot and found over 100 migrants gathered there. “When we talked to the owner, he said that he had called four labour contractors to whom he was to give Rs 1.65 lakh for further distributing the amount to the workers but all labourers gathered at the spot,” informed SHO.
He added that he interacted with the labourers and convinced them that they will receive their wages at their respective quarters. “All labourers were pacified but one of them was arrested for initiating the protest and collecting all the labourers outside the unit,” he said.
A case under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at Sahnewal police station against him.
Industry expresses helplessness to pay wages
Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisation (FICO) president Gurmeet Singh Kular requested the central and the state governments to intervene and share 50% of the salaries to be paid by the industry for the month of April.
