CPI (M) IN PARLIAMENT ON PLANTATION BILL

THE last week of April was dedicated to financial business in both houses. In Lok Sabha increases in the prices of essential commodities, petroleum products and fertilisers were the issue on which the Left and other opposition parties walked out for three consecutive days. There was a division on cut motions moved by the Left and other parties when a large number of demands for grants were guillotined. In the voting on finance bill on April 29, the Left parties’ amendments were defeated by voice vote. The Left and other parties registered their protest over the price increases and walked out during the voting

PLANTATION BILL

Rajya Sabha has passed the Plantations Labour (Amendment) Bill 2008. Joining the debate, Tapan Kumar Sen said the bill’s provisions are not consistent with its Statement of Objects and Reasons. The bill is supposed to address the issue of safety in the plantation sector, but the surveys made by trade unions show that exposure to chemicals and pesticides in the sector is creating problem for the workers. It is creating even mental retardation among the workers, leading to widespread drunkenness by which they are losing hard-earned money and their families get pauperised, run after moneylenders and ultimately fall in a debt trap. The penalty provision is inadequate to compel the employers to abide by safety requirements. Plantations are normally located in remote areas where state government hospitals are not accessible. So garden hospitals must increase in number to take due care of the workers.

Sen said plantations are in no crisis at all; they are projecting a crisis only to rob the workers of their legitimate due. The commerce ministry and labour ministry must move in unison to see that workers get a better share of the wealth they create. Unless there is an effective monitoring mechanism in the sector where workers are extremely weak, they will continue to be the victims of exploitation. There was a wage board for plantations in 1966; thereafter there is none. The government must address this anomalous situation and immediately constitute a wage board to address the wage issue, while checking the labour law violations.

Source: People’s Democracy dated 16-05-2010