…Four organisations of the State – Assam Majuri Shramik Union, Forum for Social Harmony, AIKMS and New Trade Union Initiative – on Saturday demanded that the Assam government pay proper compensation to the families of the nine labourers, who died in an accident in Tamil Nadu recently.

All the nine victims of the accident hailed from Hojai and Karbi Anglong districts and belonged to Dimasa community. They met with the accident while working in a construction site on September 30.

In a joint statement, the organisations said, “According to the family members of the victims, around 80 per cent adult male population of their villages are working as migrant labourers outside the State, as there is no employment option available in their localities. Outside the State, they are also working on very low wages. This situation proves the weak economic condition of Assam. So the State government must accept its responsibility in connection with the tragic accident.”

The leadership of the organizations alleged that continuous migration of youths from Assam to other parts of the country in search of job has exposed the reality of economic condition of the State.

In the statement, they also alleged that there was exploitation of migrant labourers working in the Special Economic Zones…