Mundka Fire A Result of Criminal Negligence of Delhi Govt and BJP run MCD
Exemplary Punishment Needed for Officials Responsible
Safety Audit A Must in All Industrial Units in Delhi
More than 27 people are dead and 29 are missing in a fire to a commercial building in Delhi's Mundka area 13 May. The CPIML Delhi shares the grief of the families who have lost their loved ones. It is becoming clear that the fire was a result of the criminal negligence of the Labour department of the Govt of Delhi and the BJP-run MCD. This has also been corroborated by a fact finding team of trade union activists from AICCTU which visited the site and adjoining areas. The building was being used as a unit to assemble CCTVs and routers as well as for storing them. In complete violation of various labour laws and factory safety regulations there was only one entry and exit point in the whole four storey building. The whole building didn't have any fire extinguishers or smoke alarms to issue a fire warning. The team from AICCTU also found that workers working there were not being paid minimum wages and were being made to work for more than 12 hours per day.
CPIML Delhi Secretary Ravi Rai told that this is not the first instance of fire in a factory in Delhi. In the recent past there have been fires in industrial units in Bawana, Narela, Jhimil and other areas. All the above incidents including one in Mundka have been caused because the Govt has allowed factory owners to willfully violate labour laws and play with the lives of workers. The CPIML Delhi State Committee demands that all officials who gave clean chit to the factory must be punished, adequate compensation and rehabilitation must be provided to the families of workers who died and a safety audit must be done of all industrial units in Delhi. The Delhi Govt and the MCD must be held accountable for their criminal negligence that caused such tragedies.
Two more factories in Narela also caught severe fires in two consecutive days following the tragic Mundka fire.
AICCTU State Secretary Surya Prakash and other leaders met the injured workers and also spoke with the families of missing workers on 14 May morning. He reported that nearly 200 workers were working in the factory which has only one path for entry to as well as exit, this is against the rules of the Factory Act 1948. Also due to the exit path being full of cardboard, plastic and other materials, the workers were unable to come out and escape from the fire. Due to scorching heat and smoke, many workers jumped from the 2nd floor and got badly injured in the process.
Many workers injured in the fire accident did not go to hospital out of fear. The injured workers whom the AICCTU team met were from Bihar, some from Siwan and some from Bhagalpur. No safety rules were being followed inside the factory. Men and women were being paid Rs 9000 and Rs 7500 per month respectively for 12 hours of work daily. This is far less than the minimum wage fixed in Delhi. None of the workers had an I-card from the institution and ESI and PF are not implemented in the factory.
The Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who came to the accident site had to face protests from trade unions. AICCTU maintains that the present Delhi government, the Central government, the Labour Department and other government agencies are accountable for the recurring fire tragedies in Delhi. Governments have given factory owners license to kill workers out of greed for donations that the factory owners give to the ruling political parties.
Many Victims of Mundaka Fire Tragedy from Bihar: Nitish Government Must Verify
CPIML Bihar State Secretary Kunal said on 15 May that of the 27 confirmed deaths in the terrible Mundaka fire tragedy in Delhi, many are from Bihar. However, it seems that the Bihar government has not so far enquired about any of these people.
The continuing incidents of death of migrant workers from Bihar are a matter of grave concern. They are forced to work in extremely unsafe conditions. CPIML has repeatedly demanded from the Central and State governments that a law should be made for migrant workers so that their livelihood and safety can be guaranteed, but the Bihar government's attitude in this issue has always been negligent and that is a very serious matter.
According to information received so far Soni (35) from Saharsa, Geeta Devi (42) and Madhu (29) from Muzaffarpur and others from Bihar were trapped in the Mundka fire, but there is no information about their whereabouts. The bodies of all deceased have been burnt to skeletal remains, making identification very difficult. Therefore the Bihar government should take steps to identify all the deceased persons and immediately declare Rs 20 lakhs compensation to the families of each of the victims.
