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Ludhiana: Two years after losing her fingers, 45-yr-old woman finally gets justice
She had been fighting the case since 2017, which was ruled in her favour; her employer, Sant Metal Industries, is to reinstate her from January 1, 2020, and pay her ₹60,000 as a compensation
Forty-five-year-old Poonam, who had lost four fingers of her right hand in an industrial accident two years ago, found a reason to cheer on Saturday.
Gurpreet Singh Bakshi, district and sessions judge and presiding officer of Industrial Tribunal, Ludhiana, ruled the case she had been fighting since 2017 in her favour and directed her employer, Sant Metal Industries, to reinstate her from January 1, 2020, and pay her ₹60,000 as a compensation.
“It was agreed that Poonam would be taken back on duty for the work, which is suitable for her on the humanitarian ground,” Gurpreet Singh Bakshi’s order stated.
Life came to standstill after the accident: Poonam
Poonam had joined the said factory on August 2014 to operate a press machine at the monthly salary of ₹4,000.
“Seeing my good performance, my employer increased my salary from ₹4,000 to ₹6,000. On November 28, 2016, the machine I was working on developed a snag, which claimed four fingers of my right hand,” she said.
“I felt so helpless and hopeless for months. My eldest daughter Kuljit used to tie my hair and feed me. I had never imagined that life would take such an unexpected turn. I wanted to support my family, but became dependent on my kids even for eating food,” Poonam said.
Both Poonam and her husband Lakhwinder Singh used to work in the factory to support their two daughters — 24-year-old Kuljit and 13-year-old Akshdeep.
“We had planned that with my husband’s income, we will run the house while my slaary would be spent on our daughters’ education. Due to my accident, my eldest daughter could not even pursue her graduation,” she rued.
‘Despite being fir, factory refused to reinstate me’
Poonam said despite having received a fitness certificate, when she went to rejoin the factory on 14 February 2017, she was denied employment.
“After they refused to reinstate me, I approached the department of labour on April 2017,” she said.
“I’m hopeful that the factory will comply with the order. I will use the compensation amount for my daughter’s marriage and enrolling her for a beautician course,” Poonam added.
