CPM alleges underage workers among victims, questions factory inspections

CHENNAI: Amid allegations that underage workers were employed at the factory, CPM State Secretary P Shanmugam on Monday questioned the effectiveness of inspections by the Labour department, claiming that a majority of those affected in the ammonia gas leak incident were between 15 and 25 years old.

Shanmugam said that more than 60 workers had been admitted to various hospitals following the incident, most of them were women workers.

“Several of those undergoing treatment at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital are in a critical condition” he told media persons after visiting the hospital. “One of the major reasons for this tragedy was the company’s decision to accommodate workers within the factory instead of providing separate and safer housing facilities. It contributed significantly to the extent of the casualties and injuries caused by the gas leak.”

The CPM leader questioned whether officials of the Labour department and factory inspectorate had conducted regular inspections at the facility. Referring to reports that an inspection had been carried out in December and that a case had subsequently been registered, he asked why no further inspections were undertaken over the past six months.

He also stated that the Rs 2 lakh ex gratia announced for the families of the deceased should be substantially increased. “Many migrant workers at the factory had not been properly registered and were recruited through agents. The incident exposes wider concerns about employment and welfare of migrant workers in TN,” he opined.

Shanmugam urged the government to establish a comprehensive registration mechanism for migrant workers and ensure that they receive legal protection and workplace safety guarantees.

He also criticised the labour codes introduced by the Union government in 2020, contending that provisions allowing smaller establishments to rely on self-certification instead of regular inspections weakened workplace safety oversight and increased the risk of industrial accidents.