Hattar labourers cry for justice

Workers allege unsafe working conditions, low wages and poor sanitation

HARIPUR:

Workers employed at factories in the Hattar Industrial Estate are allegedly being subjected to unsafe and unhygienic working conditions, with many forced to work without personal protective equipment (PPE), according to the Environmental Protection Forum (EPF), which has called for immediate action against alleged violations of labour, health and environmental laws.

The forum alleged that several factories were operating in conditions that failed to meet basic workplace safety standards. According to the EPF, workers were made to perform their duties barefoot and without gloves, masks or other protective gear while working near industrial machinery, exposing them to serious health and safety risks.

The forum further claimed that many of the workers, who had travelled from different parts of Sindh in search of employment, were earning monthly wages ranging between Rs18,000 and Rs21,000. It also alleged that the canteens and kitchens provided for workers were in a deplorable sanitary condition, raising concerns about food safety and workers' welfare.

The EPF maintained that these alleged violations were occurring despite the presence of government institutions responsible for enforcing labour, health and environmental regulations. It criticised the Labour Department, the Office of the Divisional Director, the Health Department, the District Administration, the Employees' Social Security Institution, the Workers Welfare Board and the Environmental Protection Department for what it described as inadequate enforcement of existing laws and regulations.

Officials from the relevant departments and representatives of the factories could not immediately be reached for comment.