CPIML legislative party leader Mahboob Alam has written a letter to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with regard to the death of 30 year old migrant worker from Bihar Kamoth Ram in an accident at the SKM Edible Oil Manufacturing Co. In Erode (Tamilnadu) on 7 April and the death of 6 workers (with several others injured) in a fire at a chemical factory in Andhra Pradesh on 14 April. All the 6 deceased workers belong to the Chief Minister's home district Nalanda.
Comrade Mahboob Alam said in his letter that the life of Bihari migrant workers is extremely insecure. News of their deaths keeps coming in consistently. Only a few days ago 5 workers from Barsoi in Katihar died in a slab collapse in Maharashtra. Therefore the government should be more serious with regard to safety of migrant workers. During the Covid period also we saw the horrific tragedy they suffered, but unfortunately they are still forced to put their lives at risk and seek work outside under the most difficult situations.
He said that the death of Kamoth Ram while at work enraged the long-suffering workers who gathered in hundreds and gheraoed the company demanding compensation for the victim family and better safety arrangements for workers. But the police, who came in response to the company's call, sent 40 of the protesting workers to jail in Coimbatore and slapped cases against them under Sections 147, 148 and 307. Most of these workers are from Eastern Champaran in Bihar.
Mahboob Alam has requested the Chief Minister to intervene immediately in this matter, speak with the Tamilnadu government and SKM Company management, and take concrete steps for the release of the workers.
He further said that the Bihar government should update its policy regarding migrant workers and make a rule that a minimum of Rs 20 lakhs will be paid as compensation to families of workers killed in accidents or other disasters.
