Property sealed of factory in Rajkot over unpaid wages of 400 workers
Updated: Jan 13th, 2024
 |
| Amul Industries sealed (img: File) |
Three workers’ suicide at a Rajkot-based factory led to a court order directing the district Mamlatdar to seal its premises on Jan 12.
Acting upon the Industrial court’s order, Rajkot East Mamlatdar SJ Chavda and the local police conducted raids at more than 15 locations of Amul Industries Pvt Ltd (AIPL), based in Rajkot’s Aji GIDC area.
As per the pleas submitted in court by the ‘Saurashtra Majur Mahajan Sangh’ (labour organisation), AIPL has not paid wages and rightful dues to more than 400 daily-wage workers for the last 14 months, despite three of the workers committing suicide in the meantime.
The sealed property will now be auctioned to pay off the labourers.
Major industrial unit in Rajkot sealed
The Rajkot Labour Court ordered several payments to be made, including the salaries of the 400 workers, amounting to ₹1.40 cr, along with a 7% interest levied on the wage.
The court ordered the confiscation of property to pay up the salaries and dues of the workers, following which properties worth around ₹50 cr were sealed.
These included 15 to 20 locations in different sheds of the factory, consisting of around 50 to 60 sq metres of area. A notice was also put up restricting anyone’s entry into the factory premises.
After this raid, SG Chavda remarked, “Now it will be easier to pay the dues to the workers by auctioning them in a short time.”
The labour organisation workers presented the supporting evidence along with revenue records and other details in this case.
They mentioned, “Till now, the labour court has passed salary orders for 24 workers, while it is pending for others. But the recovery process from Amul Industries Pvt Ltd will take place step by step as per the court’s order.”
Legal tussle over unpaid salaries
Somewhere between 400 and 500 workers have been working at AIPL for the last 35 years, but as per the allegations presented in court, salaries have not been paid for the last 14 months.
The labour organisation mentions addressing the company management in several instances as well.
Several protests were also submitted to the district administration, but they did not bring any positive results, and the salaries remained due, as per the leaders.
Three of the labour workers had to end their lives due to unpaid wages.
Following this, a plea was submitted in the Industrial Court by the organisation.
