DELHI

CPI(M) Supports Sahibabad Workers’ Strike

THE CPI(M), Delhi state committee extended its support and solidarity to the strike called by CITU in Sahibabad on October 5, 2004 to protest against the death of over 10 workers in a blast in Bhushan Steel company located in the same area.

Stating that the presence of rockets, shells and even a missile in the scrap being used in this company was unpardonable, the Party demanded the central government to institute an impartial inquiry into how this consignment of imported scrap was cleared for entry and identify those guilty. It also called for immediate arrest of the owners of Bhushan Steel and their booking for murder.

In a statement issued on October 3, the CPI(M) recalled that three years back 23 workers were killed in the same factory and the matter was hushed up as the vast majority of the 5,000 workers employed in the two plants of Bhushan Steel in Sahibabad were casual workers. The owners denied responsibility using this situation and even in the present case they made similar attempts but the wide exposure in the media of the presence of explosives in the scrap foiled their attempts.

The use of casual workers against jobs of permanent nature is widespread in Sahibabad and other industrial areas of Ghaziabad district. This is being done with the connivance of the labour department. This practice encourages owners to violate minimum safety norms with impunity besides depriving workers of their legitimate wages, Provident Fund, ESI, etc. The CPI(M) state committee demanded the Shiela Dixit government to address these issues immediately and rectified them.

It demanded the following measures:

1. Immediate arrest of the owners of Bhushan Steel for the murder of workers.

2. Payment of compensation by Bhushan Steel company of Rs 5 lakhs to the families of each of the deceased.

3. Adequate compensation and payment for treatment of injured workers.

4. High-level inquiry into import of scrap containing explosives and punishment to those guilty.

5. Regulation of casual workers working against jobs of permanent nature in Bhushan Steel and other units in Sahibabad as well as industrial areas.  

(INN)