Union Home Secretary
Union Ministry of Home Affairs
Government of India
New Delhi
Chief Secretary
Government of Uttar Pradesh
Lucknow
Chief Secretary
Government of Bihar
Patna
Chief Secretary
Government of Odisha
Bhubneshwar
Chief Secretary
Government of Jharkhand
Ranchi
Chief Secretary
Government of Gujarat
Ahmedabad
Subject- Death of migrant workers from UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha on Alang beach, Bhavnagar, Gujarat
Sir,
I wish to draw your urgent attention on humanitarian grounds in the matter of the ongoing deaths of migrants workers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha on Alang beach, Bhavnagar, Gujarat.
I submit that most recently 6 workers have been burnt to death on October 6, 2012. Sources have informed that the death toll is higher.
I
submit that while the newspapers have reported that around 12 O’ clock on
October 6 massive fire caused five migrant workers to be burnt alive, one of
the two critically injured who was referred to Bhavnagar based Sterling
Hospital has also died. The other worker Ram Ashish is in the Intensive Care
Unit (ICU) in the hospital. So far I have found the names of the deceased migrant
workers who been identified as Hiralal Chaudhary (28), Ajay Chaudhary (22), Ram
Milan (35), Sanjay Yadav (28) and Subhash Yadav (28) and whose dead bodies were
taken out of the ex-UK ship. I have spoken to sources in Alang and co-related
with the attached newspaper reports.
The migrant worker who died in the Sterling hospital was Dharmendra (37).
I wish to inform you that both legs of the worker who is in the ICU has been burnt.
I
submit that State Governments of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha must get the data on deaths of migrant workers in coordination with the Government
of Gujarat to seek relief for the diseased and their family and to
ensure that the routine deaths of migrant workers from their States do
not go unattended. It ought to consider getting the old cases of deaths on the Alang beach
re-opened. The States' Home Departments and Central Home Ministry ought to
coordinate to probe the deaths of Alang workers and made those who responsible
for it liable for their acts of omission and commission. The statistics of year wise deaths
since 1991 till 2012 is attached.
I
submit that in case of injury or death, they are
rarely compensated. Narratives of local fishermen refer to dumping of workers
bodies in the sea. Workers mention the use of violence by the local police
against attempts of strikes by them over dispute about salary, safety, working
and living conditions. This may be examined as well.
Let me take the opportunity to state that it is a fit case for National
Human Rights Commission and States' Human Rights Commission to take suo
motto notice and ensure that the rights of migrant workers are
protected.
I
submit that it is the duty of the concerned State Governments to gather
data of the migrant workers of their State who are involved in the ship
breaking activity at Alang beach, Bhavnagar, Gujarat given the fact
that they are globally recognized to be the most vulnerable workforce. I
am enclosing my recent letter to the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC)
on Ship breaking in this regard to provide a background to the goings on
in this matter.
In
view
of the above, I urgently seek your pro-active intervention to ensure
that migrant workers from your States get both medical
and legal remedy besides just compensation and to ensure that the guilty
officials and ship breakers
are made accountable in an exemplary manner to set matters right.
Thanking You
Yours faithfully
Gopal Krishna
Convener
ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)
New Delhi
PIN. 110016
Phone: +91-11-26517814, Fax: +91-11-26517814
Mb: 9818089660
E-mail:krishna1715@gmail.com
Web: toxicswatch.blogspot.com
Yours faithfully
Gopal Krishna
Convener
ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)
New Delhi
PIN. 110016
Phone: +91-11-26517814, Fax: +91-11-26517814
Mb: 9818089660
E-mail:krishna1715@gmail.com
Web: toxicswatch.blogspot.com
Cc
Chairman, National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi
Secretary, Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Secretary, Union Ministry of Labour & Employment
Principal Secretary, Health Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh
Principal Secretary, Health Department, Government of Jharkhand
Secretary, Health Department, Government of Odisha
Principal Secretary, Health Department, Government of Gujarat
Chairman, ESIC, New Delhi
Chairman, Uttar Pradesh Human Rights Commission
Chairman, Bihar State Human Rights Commission
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