HC notice to Guj. over factories ordinance

As many as 23 firms, including Bombardier, Alstom, Siemens and GMR, have shown interest in running private trains and attended a pre-application meeting on Wednesday as a first step, the Railways said. Other attendees included BEML, IRCTC, BHEL, CAF, Medha Group, Sterlite, Bharat Forge, JKB infrastructure and Titagarh Wagons, it said. The Railways has invited 12 Request for Qualifications.

India's fuel demand is beginning to flatline after showing signs of returning to life, as consumption dipped 11.7 per cent in July, official data showed. Fuel consumption, a barometer of economic activity, had slumped by over 45 per cent in April as the nationwide lockdown halted most vehicular traffic and shut industries. However, with easing of lockdown restrictions, the demand picked up in May and June.

Ahmedabad, Aug. 12: The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the state government on a petition challenging the Factories (Gujarat Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, calling it "violative" of the basic human rights of factory workers.

The ordinance, promulgated last month, seeks to withdraw protections given to factory workers with regards to their health, safety, hygienic working conditions and working hours, said the petition filed by the Gujarat Mazdoor Sabha (GMS).

A division bench of Justices R. M. Chhaya and I.J. Vora issued notice to the state government returnable on September 3.

The GMS said the amendment (through the ordinance) to the Factories Act, 1948, by the state government seeks to "withdraw all sorts of protections given to the workers employed to the extent of 40 in the power-aided factories, and 20 in the factories running without the aid of power."

As per the ordinance, such industrial units stand excluded from the definition of factory under the Act and safeguards provided to workers under the legislation shall not be applicable to them, the petition said. There are a large number of such factories in Gujarat, it said.

Section 106B of the ordinance authorises the government to make any or all offences under the Act "compoundable," making it "toothless," and making employer "immune to penal actions for violating provisions in respect of workers' health and hygiene, safety, hazardous processes, welfare, working hours," it said.

"Ultimately, workmen employed in the factory would be forced labour which is prohibited under Article 23 of the Constitution," it said.