Baddi unit under lens after death of minor

Officials of the Labour Department today visited a Baddi-based appliances manufacturing unit, where a minor girl died last evening while working on a conveyor belt.

“A notice is being served on the company. Information like age of the victim, her mode of employment — regular or contractual — is being verified for further action. After verification, due action will be taken for employing a minor in the company. Preliminary inquiry revealed that the girl was deputed to work on the conveyor belt,” Amit Thakur, an official of Labour Department, said.

The death of the minor girl working in Jainsons Appliances at Bhatoli Kalan in Baddi has brought the functioning of the company management under scanner. She was not the only minor working in the unit. Another minor girl, working in the same company, informed that the victim’s hair got entangled in the conveyor belt.

The incident had sparked protest from the kin of the victim. The company was yet to offer due compensation to the family of the deceased who hails from Bihar. Though the police have registered a case for causing death due to negligence, the role of the labour officials was crucial to check exploitation of the minors in industrial units.

According to the Aadhaar card of the deceased, she was to turn 15 in April. Compelled to work to financially support her family, she was among many others who had come to the industrial belt, along with their families, in search of employment.

The Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act of 1986 protects young workers by prohibiting their employment in occupations that pose risk of accident and injury due to the use of machinery.

It is learnt that the deceased was engaged for packaging work, which doesn’t pose a risk. However, she was deputed on the conveyor belt where she was also required to oil the belt. Apparently, having little idea of safety norms, her dupatta, followed by her hair got entangled in the conveyor belt, which proved fatal.