JOAO SOUSA M | NT
NAVELIM
In a blatant violation of the Health Act, PWD contractors working on various development projects across Salcete taluka do not provide sanitation facilities to workers, who live in unhygienic conditions.
As per the provisions of the Health Act, contractors have to provide the workers with residence away from the project site, and there should be the provision of adequate sanitation facilities.
However, a random survey carried out by this daily has revealed that the provisions of the Act have been blatantly ignored.
The workers are forced to live at the project site in tents, and no toilet and bathing facilities are provided to labourers including women.
Moreover, the areas around these project sites are vulnerable to outbreak of vector-borne diseases as stagnated water poses a threat to health of local residents living in the vicinity.
Highly-placed sources in the PWD requesting anonymity said the department cannot be blamed for the misdeeds of the contractors.
While the department issues work orders, the onus of taking care of sanitation and welfare of the labourers is on the contractors, the sources said.
The contractors prefer to keep the workers at the project site as it saves money on transportation and accommodation. This ‘arrangement’ helps the contractors in exacting more working hours from the workers.
An official from the health department said the rules that apply to construction sites also apply to government projects and the contractor is issued guidelines on mandatory health cards, proper sanitation etc.
However, the guidelines are often ignored.
He said that while the department does carry out inspections from time to time little action is taken due to political interference.
A worker Ramu (name changed) working on a government project said, “We live at the site. My wife and I work while my elder daughter looks after our little child who is just over four months old.”
The workers at the particular government project site have to answer nature’s call in the open. The women go out under the cover of darkness while the men keep a watch to prevent any untoward incidents.