The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) comprising of Retired District Judge A.D.Salkar and Mr.J.A Keny has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Labour Commissioner directing them to appear on 5th January in connection with the complaint over a welder burnt to death. The young welder Sarula Sheikh, a native of West Bengal was burnt to death on 26th December at the construction site of the third Mandovi Bridge in Panaji.
The deceased worker was employed on contract basis for a construction firm Larsen and Toubro (L&T) which has been given the works of the bridge by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC). As a safe workplace is a Human and Fundamental Right of every worker, the authorities need to probe whether all the required Safety Standards were in place at the site as the deceased worker reportedly fell into a hot deep trench containing tar, while he was trying to do some welding work without appropriate safety gear. The authorities as usually done in such cases, taking advantage that the deceased is a poor and defenseless victim, may high-handedly hush up the case. The authorities need to explain as to how they have been mere spectators to the violation of the Human Rights of the deceased worker and other workers working on that site. They must also detail as to what measures they intend to take to avoid such inhuman mishaps leading to loss of precious lives in violation of human and fundamental rights. -- Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.com