New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday (December 5) pulled up the Delhi Chief Secretary for Delhi government’s failure to pay full subsistence allowance to construction workers who were affected due to restrictions imposed to curb air pollution in the national capital region (NCR) and said that it is unfortunate that the workers have not yet been paid and directed that the remaining amount should be paid immediately.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih, which was hearing the air pollution matter, questioned Delhi chief secretary Dharmendra that why 90,693 construction workers were paid only Rs 2,000 of the mandated Rs 8,000 and directed him to release the remaining amount immediately.
You want workers to starve, apex court asked Delhi chief secretary
The bench asked the Delhi chief secretary, who virtually appeared before the bench, that when the balance amount would be paid to the construction workers. The chief secretary told the bench, “We need 10 days time”.
“You want workers to starve? We are straight away issuing contempt notice to you, this is not done. This is a welfare State,” the bench told the chief secretary, who then assured the bench, “We will pay tomorrow. That was not our intention. We gave Rs 2000 for immediate succour.”
Are there only 90693 construction workers in national capital, bench asked Delhi chief secretary
The bench also asked the Delhi Chief secretary are there only 90693 construction workers in Delhi and who will do the exercise of identifying the rest of the construction workers.
The Delhi chief secretary told the bench that anyone can sign up on a portal of the labour department.
The bench asked him what efforts have been made to get the construction workers registered on the portal and how many and when labour unions were informed about it.
The Delhi chief secretary then said that the Delhi government will issue public notices.
Meeting of workers’ unions to be held immediately to tell them to register: Apex Court
“The Delhi Chief Secretary submits payment has been made of Rs 2,000 to 90,693 workers and rest will be paid forthwith. However, the State has made no efforts to inform other workers entitled to receive subsistence amount if they register in portal. From what it appears to us based on what the chief secretary said, the Delhi government is not aware there may be more workers. Meeting of workers’ unions to be held immediately to tell them to register,” the bench said.
Apex Court also asked chief secretaries of other NCR states to pay immediately to workers
The bench also asked the chief secretaries of Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to immediately convene a meeting of workers’ unions and pay the full subsistence allowance to construction workers affected due to restrictions imposed to curb air pollution in the national capital region.
The bench, during the last hearing into the matter while taking note that none of the states from the NCR have complied with its direction to pay construction workers and no proof of even penny being paid to them have been shown, had ordered the chief secretaries of the national capital region states to remain present before the court through video conferencing on the next date of hearing on Thursday.
