The State Government on Saturday issued a directive restricting all private and Government authorities not to engage labourers in any work from 11 am to 3 pm during this summer. labour and Employees State Insurance Department Secretary G Srinivas has issued notices to all Revenue Divisional Commissioners and district Collectors in this regard.
“As labourers and workmen are vulnerable to heat stroke, dehydration and loss of salinity in the blood, it is absolutely necessary to reschedule their working hours,” said a senior official. The official said all the executing agencies of both the State and Central Governments and private employers have been advised to abide by the the rescheduled working hours.
If there is any work of emergent nature or connected with maintenance of essential services, the concerned workers should be provided with facilities of drinking water, ORS packets and rest shed at the work sites, the notice stated. Besides, the CDMOs, SDMOs, medical officers of the PHCs, CHCs and dispensaries should be sensitised and kept alert during heat wave conditions. Particularly, the ESI dispensaries have a great role to play, the notice read.