Thiruvananthapuram: The conditions in which sales girls of a leading textile shop in the city live can only be described as inhuman, as was revealed by a surprise raid conducted by Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. The dorm that the workers of Ramachandran Textiles, around 300 of them, have been housed in, has just 14 toilets and five bathrooms, according to mayor V. K. Prasanth.
The shop has been asked to relocate the women to an accommodation with better facilities within thirty days. “If they fail to comply, their license will be cancelled. We have submitted a letter to the labour department and will be contacting the social justice department,” said V. K. Prasanth.
The ‘dormitory’ with 264 beds is situated at the topmost floor of the textile shop at Attakulangara, which could have been better utilised as a stockroom. They registered a case of violating building rules. It is not hard to imagine how hot it would get under its tin roof. The recent summer, which was deemed punishing by all Keralites, must not have been easy here.
The beds they slept in were visibly infested with bed bugs. There was just one entrance to the large hall. There was no separate dining space for the workers. “We reached around 9 am when the sales girls were being provided breakfast. They were given sambar and rice, which was the previous night’s dinner,” said the mayor.
An anonymous caller alerted the corporation while none of the sales girls have given a written complaint. There are only 150 sales girls according to Thankachan J., the shop’s manager. He said, “We have been constructing a building at Inchakkal with ample facilities for our workers. Everyone here can be relocated in a month’s time.”
Action against textile shop
The establishment which stacked hundreds of sales girls in a tin-roofed dormitory will be dealt with sternly, said Ms Shailaja. The minister made her stand clear when Deccan Chronicle sought the opinions of social justice minister K. K. Shailaja and labour minister T. P. Ramakrishnan on the Ramachandran Textiles issue.
“I am yet to see the report on the issue. However, such establishments will not be allowed to continue functioning, until they ensure proper living conditions for their workers. We will issue an instruction, based on what the mayor has decided,” she said. Mr Ramakrishnan echoed her views. “The government has already been taken action to ensure better living conditions for working community. We will look into the report, and take appropriate action.” Ms Shailaja said this was an issue that never comes to light usually, even though such unethical practices did not start recently.
