File report on adherence of COVID-19 guidelines by car makers: Madras HC tells govt

The Madras High Court on Monday directed the Directorate of Industrial Safety (DIS) to make available on June 21, its report on adherence of Covid-19 protocols, more specifically on maintenance of distance between the workers, by the car making companies, including Renault-Nissan at Oragadam near Chennai city.

"The report sought from the government through the DIS should be available when the matter appears next. Copies of such a report should be made available to advocates representing the workmen and the management, well before the matter is taken up," the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy said.

The bench gave the direction when the PIL petition from Renault workmen union came up for further hearing today.

The petition challenged a notification of the State Revenue Disaster Management dated May 8, which granted exemption to Renault-Nissan from lockdown conditions and allowed it to function with observance of Covid-19 protocols.

Earlier on June 7, the bench had directed the officials of the DIS to visit the factories of Renault-Nissan and that of other car making companies to ensure uniform guidelines with regard to maintenance of distance between the workers, one of the main Covid-19 guidelines.