Kurnool: Labourers working in hazardous industries like quarry blasting get no protection from the government.
In a worst quarry tragedy at Hatti Belagal last year, 13 workers died. None of the dead were paid any compensation so far as they belonged to Jharkand, Orissa and Chattisgarh, said a labour officer.
Over 50,000 people work in granite quarrying, polishing and blasting operations. Migrant labour from Chattisgarh, Jharkand and Orissa were hired by the local industries.
Labour welfare minister Gummanu Jayaram, who hails from Kurnool, was urged to provide safety net and streamline labour hiring. The minister is expected to review labour welfare programmes on Wednesday.
He is expected to review Chandranna Bhima scheme as a majority of labourers in the unorganised sector are covered under it.
A labour officer, on condition of anonymity, said: “We don't have any work except to process maternity benefits of workers. All our powers had been taken away and clubbed in Chandranna Bima and other schemes."
He further said 11 districts in the state are being run by in-charge deputy commissioners and that there were no promotions in the department.
Kurnool district employs about 50,000 labourers in slab polishing, mining and quarries. Inter-state migration of workers is high as special teams operate to supply cheap labour, said the labour officer.
