Brick kilns: Pay workers notified wages or face the music, says DCO

FAISALABAD:

Brick kiln owners have been told to pay brick kiln workers the minimum wage as notified by the government or face strict action.

Presiding over a meeting of the district vigilance committee on Monday, Acting DCO Ijaz Khaliq Razzaqi issued the directions. He warned kiln owners to implement all laws pertaining to brick kilns enacted last month or be ready to face legal action.

Razzaqi told officials to expedite the process of issuing social security cards to brick kiln workers across Faisalabad district. NADRA mobile teams will be constituted to issue the workers Computerised National Identity Cards. The DCO directed officers to ensure implementation of the Child Labour Act in letter and spirit. He also told them to take to task any kiln owners found flouting the government’s instructions in this regard. Labour District Officer Nasrullah, Labour Deputy Directors Imtiaz Salfi and Malik Muhawar Ahmed Awan, the social security director and several representatives of the Pakistan Brick Kiln Owners’ Association were present at the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2016.