Workers’ deaths: Health, industries secretaries told to submit report in a month
'All such factories must be directed to pay for the workers’ treatment.'
'All such factories must be directed to pay for the workers’ treatment.'
MULTAN:
The Lahore High Court Bench on Thursday sought report from the health and the industries secretaries over a petition filed against the owners of eight rock crushing factories where several workers have died allegedly from inhaling poisonous gas. The court gave the secretaries one month to file their replies.
The petitioner had demanded that the owners of the factories compensate the bereaved families and the workers who had fallen sick. He had also requested the court to direct the health and the industries ministries to seal the eight factories on Lahore Road near Gujranwala.
He said all such factories must be directed to pay for the workers’ treatment.
The petition was filed by Riaz Ahmed, a resident of Chak Nangar Choti Bala in Dera Ghazi Khan, who said that hundreds of residents of Chak Nangar were working at the factories. He said they were all illiterate and did not know that hazardous chemicals were being used in the factories to crush the rock.
He said several workers had fallen sick, but the administrations of these factories did not provide them treatment facilities.
He said 40 workers had succumbed to their illness and more than 200 developed lung diseases.
He said the Dera Ghazi Khan district coordination officer had ordered a survey of the factories which showed that the factories were using hazardous chemicals.
He said that the owners of the factories should have provided appropriate safety gear to the workers.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2013.
The Lahore High Court Bench on Thursday sought report from the health and the industries secretaries over a petition filed against the owners of eight rock crushing factories where several workers have died allegedly from inhaling poisonous gas. The court gave the secretaries one month to file their replies.
The petitioner had demanded that the owners of the factories compensate the bereaved families and the workers who had fallen sick. He had also requested the court to direct the health and the industries ministries to seal the eight factories on Lahore Road near Gujranwala.
He said all such factories must be directed to pay for the workers’ treatment.
The petition was filed by Riaz Ahmed, a resident of Chak Nangar Choti Bala in Dera Ghazi Khan, who said that hundreds of residents of Chak Nangar were working at the factories. He said they were all illiterate and did not know that hazardous chemicals were being used in the factories to crush the rock.
He said several workers had fallen sick, but the administrations of these factories did not provide them treatment facilities.
He said 40 workers had succumbed to their illness and more than 200 developed lung diseases.
He said the Dera Ghazi Khan district coordination officer had ordered a survey of the factories which showed that the factories were using hazardous chemicals.
He said that the owners of the factories should have provided appropriate safety gear to the workers.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2013.