Delhi HC directs financial aid for all registered construction workers

The Delhi High Court has directed the state government to send out proper communication, in the form of SMSs, to over five lakh construction workers, majority of

The Delhi High Court has directed the state government to send out proper communication, in the form of SMSs, to over five lakh construction workers, majority of who are yet to avail the financial aid of Rs 5,000 being given to them by authorities in view of the ongoing lockdown. The court also said that those workers whose registration has lapsed will also be entitled to the ex-gratia, but after they renew their membership.

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A bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar said that it was essential that all registered construction workers — whose number stood at 5,39,421 as on September 30, 2018 — be sent SMSs, informing them of the government’s decision of direct transfers to their registered bank accounts, so that they could renew their registration.

The bench also said that the workers should be informed about the renewal fee that needs to deposited.

“The fact that the website of the Delhi Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (DBCWB) is in English is certainly a matter of concern, considering the strata of the society from which the construction workforce comes from,” the court said.

The court’s direction comes after advocate Shyel Trehan, who had filed an application saying the benefit of ex gratia payments should be extended to those registrants whose registration may have lapsed, and who renew their registrations.

Appearing for the Delhi government, its additional standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose, told the court that as on May 12, all the registered 39,600 construction workers had received an amount of Rs 5,000. He also stated that for the purpose of verification, communications have been sent to about 7,000 employers of these construction workers, out of whom only 242 have responded.

In April, the Delhi government had given Rs 5000 to 39,600 registered construction workers. On May 11, the Delhi government had announced it was going to disburse Rs 5,000 more to all the registered construction workers in the city.

However, a decision regarding disbursement of the sum for next month (June) also is yet to be taken.

Wednesday’s court order comes while hearing a plea by social worker Sunil Kumar Aledia, filed through advocate Shiven Verma, seeking directions to the government to provide relief to workers and labourers, including those who had registered in the last two years.

Contacted, the office of labour minister Gopal Rai said the government from May 15 had already initiated the process of re-registering construction workers in Delhi through an online process.

“We started this online application process because we realised that membership of majority of workers registered with DBCWB had lapsed for lack of renewal, which costs Rs 20 per year. This registration process will go on until May 25.. More than 500 people are applying daily, at present,” said an official in the minister’s office.

The registration process requires an applicant to upload copies of all required documents. After May 25, the labour department will begin the verification process of the applications.

Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog, told the court that as on September 30, 2018, there were 5,39,421 registered construction workers. He submitted that most of them did not renew their registration and, consequently, they have been denied the ex gratia payment.

Following this, the court observed that “only a fraction of the originally registered construction workers have been able to avail of the ex gratia relief granted by the respondents (Delhi government), due to them not having renewed their registration”.

“This is not a satisfactory state of affairs, and the respondents (Delhi government) are obliged to take effective steps to encourage the construction workers – who are otherwise eligible, to renew their registration — so that the intended benefit can reach them as well,” the court said.

The matter would be now heard on June 5.