BIGGEST WAGE THEFT CASE EVER SOLVED

KISMAT Kollam in association with Labour Department and District Legal Service Authority solved a wage theft case of 2.5 Lakhs.

The workers who reported the wage theft case of Rs 3.5 Lakhs.

On February 19^th, 2023 an Interstate Migrant labourer named Md. Sajid Alam contacted Migrant Help Desk in Kollam to seek help in solving the issue related to the wages of 32 workers in Ithikkara, Kollam. When the coordinator met the labourers at their working place in Ithikara they were in deprived condition due to lack of clean water, and electricity, and were struggling to meet their daily bread due to the pending salary, a total of 3.5 Lac rupees. When the coordinator contacted their contractor named Mr Pradeep of Prajapathy Construction, he was unwilling to cooperate, pushing the migrant help desk to approach the Labor Department and District legal service authority in Kollam.  The KISMAT migrant help desk has a strong influence on both departments due to the initiatives taking by the desk to serve the migrant population. Both departments followed up on the case along with the coordinator and got a cheque for Rs. 3.5 Lacs from Mr Promod in the names of Md. Ashik and Md. Sajid Alam who was supplied the 30 Labours.

The tragedy occurred then when both three cheques the contractor gave were bounced. This time role of the DLSA was clear and MHD Kollam sent a notice against Mr Pradeep, the Contractor and Mr Mohan, the General Manager of Sivaalya Construction who oversees the construction works of NH66 with the help of DLSA Secretary Ms. Anju Meera Birla ( Sub judge), and DLSA panel lawyer Adv. Mr. Sunil.   In response, both parties sent acknowledgement letters to the DLSA office and contacted MHD Kollam to discuss and negotiate the clearance of money. In the negotiation process, the MHD demanded giving the pending salary to the labourers who worked day and night to complete the work even in the high-temperature environment.  The GM ensured the clearance within two days and apologized for the inefficiency made by the authority to the workers.  As he promised, on 16^th March 2023 the ISMs got Rs. 2.5 Lakhs and the remaining Rs. 1Lakh also cleared after one week.