By PTI
GANDHINAGAR: Over 400 workers were killed due to negligence or accidents inside the premises of various factories in Gujarat during the last two years as on December 2020, the state government told the Assembly on Tuesday.
Responding to a set of queries during Question Hour, Gujarat Labour and Employment Minister Dilip Thakor said 421 workers were killed due to negligence or accidents in 322 incidents recorded in the last two years statewide.
Bharuch district, with a large number of chemical units, led the list with 68 deaths, followed by 67 in Surat, 61 in Ahmedabad, 55 in Morbi, 38 in Valsad, 29 in Kutch and 18 each in Vadodara and Rajkot, he said.
Thakor said the state government had lodged 288 criminal cases against different industrial units under relevant sections of the Factories Act in the last two years.
Responding to a related question, Thakor said the state government does not pay compensation to the kin of the deceased workers in such accident cases, though compensation is paid as per provisions of ESIC Act or Workmen Compensation Act through labour courts.
Replying to a question raised by Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar, the minister said 15 workers died and 12 were injured in 26 incidents of fire inside factory premises in the last two years in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts.
The minister added that cases were filed against nine out of 26 industrial units under the Factories Act, 11 were served notices, and prohibitory orders were issued against six factories under section 40(2) of the Act, prohibiting the use of the unit until it has been properly repaired or altered.