NHRC help families of dead labourers get compensation

More than a year after the death of four labourers at a factory in Kerala following burn injuries, an on-spot inquiry by a team led by NHRC chief Justice Cyriac Joseph has ensured the release of relief to their families.
The Commission decided to conduct the enquiry after it did not receive responses to its notices, sent based on complaints received by it, to the District Collector and Superintendent of Police of Ernakulam, where the incident took place on April 16, 2014.
"The Commission observed that the concerned functionaries did not render necessary assistance to the bereaved families of the four deceased labourers," an NHRC statement said.

During the enquiry held on September 10 and 11, the NHRC team met all the concerned authorities and took stock of the status of the case. The two complainants were also part of the exercise.
The enquiry has ensured that affirmative action was eventually taken by the concerned state authorities in releasing all the dues to the next of kin of the four labourers, who died of burn injuries sustained after a blast at Seepison Ply Board Factory in Ernakulam district, it said.
The deceased were identified as Dhaneswar Swain, Ashok Kumar Das, Haldhar Das and Sahadev Patra.
The Regional Provident Fund Commissioner informed that after the intervention of the Commission benefits under EPF and EDLI have been extended to all the four deceased labourers and action had been taken to ensure payment of pension to the beneficiaries.

The ESIC regional director reported that funeral expenses have already given been while the District labour officer reported that the gratuity amount for two labourers has been deposited with the concerned authority.