Question

Describe the living condotion in firozabad

Answer 1

A Parliamentary Panel has portrayed the life of  4 lakh workers of famous glass and bangle industry of  Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh. The workers, who supply bright bangles and fancy lights  to make  Indian weddings colourful,  face “miserable” working condition, says the  report.  

Depicting the condition of workers, a good number of which are children and women, the panel has asked the Centre to “play a proactive role to safeguard the interest of poor workers.”

 The ancient industry which supply glass products to across the country, was visited by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour. 

The Committee headed by Congress MP Hemannad Biswal has expressed “anguish” over the apathy of the state government and wanted the Centre to intervene.

 According to the Committee, pollution during manufacturing of glass products causes chronic bronchitis, but “inadequate health care” and “poor working conditions” do not allow workers to fight it.

”The factories were filthy and condition miserable. The factories did not have any working environment and workers were exposed to immense heat and sound which was far beyond permissible levels,” says the report, which was tabled in monsoon session of Parliament. 

“The workers at shop floor were not given protective gear for their eyes or hands. As they worked in front of furnace and accidents were also common,” informs the report.

Poor health

The Committee reports how despite such poor health scenario, Firozabad  has only one ESI dispensary that too in dilapidated condition.

 The ESI hospital is situated at Agra, 40 kilometre away.  Also, the scheme covers only over 19,000 workers.The Committee found women workers in harsher working conditions. “Women worked in worse conditions usually employed in factories to clear the molten glass that fell around the furnaces,” the Committee reports. 

Low wage

The Committee informs about lower wage to the women workers and the denial of maternity leave to them.

The Committee noticed prevalence of child labour in packing and sorting work in factories and says, “since it is prohibited there is a tendency to outsource the work to village homes. 

Due to this children are forced to forgo their education and assist their parents,”
According to the Panel, only over one lakh of  four lakh workers work in factories, the rest do home based tasks. Working at home does not give benefits of welfare schemes.