Shut down erring brick kilns: HC

The High Court at Hyderabad ordered the Telangana government to close down those brick kilns whose owners are not paying minimum wages to migrant workers and are not meeting statutory requirements in relation to facilities for the workers.

A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B Bhosale and Justice S V Bhatt stated that such strict action is required to stop the exploitation of poor migrant workers. They were hearing a Public Interest Litigation on the plight of migrant workers.

Telangana Government Pleader submitted to the Court that the Assistant Commissioners of Labour in the ten districts of the State have issued show cause notices to errant owners who were flouting regulations. He conceded that in many units the workers were not being paid minimum wages; there were no weekly holidays; their number of working hours were high etc.