Action initiated against firms for working on October 2

According to the Labour department’s statemen, for the contraventions noticed in Tamil Nadu Industrial Establishment (National, Festival and Special Holidays) Act, 1958, legal action was being initiated against 1,229 shops and establishments, 1,071 catering establishments, 169 motor transport establishments and 15 plantations.

As per the Act, it is statutory that every establishment is bound to declare National Holidays for Republic Day, May Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanthi and five festival holidays. Thus, nine holidays with wages had to be given to the workers as per the Act. 

Else, the workers must be given double wages or compensatory holiday.

As per the instructions of the Commissioner of Labour Dr R Nantha Gopala, a special task force headed by the Assistant Commissioners of Labour (Enforcement) in each district conducted special inspections on Tuesday, Gandhi Jeyanthi Day in the shops, catering, motor transport, plantations and other industries throughout the state, the statement said. 

In similar exercises conducted in the districts of Vellore and Tiruvannamalai, as many as 100 and 80 such firms were found to have infringed the Act.