After the instructions of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the process of payment of wages of Jharkhandi workers trapped in Cameroon has been started. On the complaint received regarding non-payment of wages of 47 migrant workers of Jharkhand stranded in Cameroon (Central Africa), the Chief Minister has directed the Labour Commissioner to take action to register an FIR against the employers/employers and middlemen.
After the order of the Chief Minister, the Labour Commissioner has registered an FIR against the employers/employers and middlemen in Hazaribagh, Bokaro and Giridih. It has also been mentioned in the FIR that the employers/employers and middlemen sent the said workers without registering them as migrant labourers under the Inter-State Migrant Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 and without obtaining a license. By cheating and fraud, the workers have been sent to Cameroon in Central Africa, which is illegal.
The Chief Minister received information a few days ago that a complaint was received from the workers of Jharkhand working in Cameroon that the workers are working in M/s Transrail Lighting Limited, Cameroon, Central Africa. The salary of all these workers is pending for three months and they are demanding to return to India. After getting information about the matter, the Chief Minister directed the State Migrant Control Room to take immediate action.
After the order of the Chief Minister, under the guidance of the Labour Commissioner, the State Migrant Control Room contacted the workers and the concerned company. The company informed that the workers have been paid $100 per month and the remaining balance amount will be transferred to their Indian accounts. The workers have confirmed this payment. On the instructions of the Labour Commissioner, the State Migrant Control Room directed the company to submit a copy of the contract, salary payment information and other documents and the Labour Department has sent a letter to POE Ranchi and other concerned departments and requested necessary action. The control room has again contacted the company and they have assured a quick settlement of the matter, according to which the outstanding salary payment of the workers will be resolved by talking to the sub-contractor. The outstanding amount will be transferred to their Indian accounts.
In addition, the High Commission and the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India have informed that M/s Transrail is in talks with the workers and will resolve the safe return of these stranded workers, their pending payments and documents. The control room team is constantly contacting the officials and workers through email and phone and is making efforts for safe return. It is also being ensured that if the contractor fails to pay the salary, the agreement with him will be cancelled.
