IANS
Bahrain, Aug 5: The survivors of Sunday’s labour-camp fire in Bahrain, in which 17 Indian workers lost their lives and nine were injured, have decided to file a class action civil suit against their employer, the Royal Tower Construction Company. The survivors have refused to go back to work unless the company improves their living conditions, according to a report in the Gulf Daily News newspaper.
The case would be in addition to criminal charges that are expected to be pressed against the company, the report quoted India’s Ambassador to Bahrain Balkrishna Shetty as saying.
The workers’ case could lead to payout of hundreds of thousands of Bahraini dinars by the company to the workers, he said. “Investigations are now under way by the public prosecutor to ascertain whether there was criminal intent and charges are expected to be filed in a few days,” Shetty told a press conference.
The Ambassador also alleged that the workers had been subjected to mental torture and were forced to work long hours without any off days.
“There is no way we will allow the perpetrators to get away,” he was quoted as saying.
According to another report in the Bahrain Tribune newspaper, the embassy has presented a dossier on irregularities such as lack of safety and basic comfort for workers in 30 companies, which it wants Bahrain’s Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Municipality Affairs to investigate. Bahrain’s Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has also assured the Ambassador that strict action would be taken against the Royal Tower Construction Company. Shetty said that his government was considering a bilateral labour agreement with the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries that will put all employers of Indian nationals under the scanner.
“Once a bilateral agreement is in place between the two countries, the Indian Embassy in Bahrain will have a greater say in approving companies as ‘good employers’ who provide humane work and living conditions and keep to the terms of the original contract with workers,” Shetty said at the press conference.
The Ambassador also said that the Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF) would meet in the next two days to chalk out a strategy to assist the workers who survived the blaze and ensure they are comfortable.
The country’s Ministry of Labour has decided not to issue or renew work permits if sponsors fail to provide adequate safety measures at their labour camps, the Bahrain Tribune report said.
The Labour Minister has called upon the Bahrain chamber of Commerce and Industry to join efforts with the government to tackle the issue.
Earlier reports: