All SOP's followed strictly for transportation of migrant labours; Div Com Kashmir.

Srinagar,July 19 (KNS):In the Shadow of escalating brick rates, the brick manufacturing process in Kashmir is gearing up and most of the brick kilns in Kashmir have started the process of brick manufacturing. Most of the migrant labourers have been transported from Jammu where they were working till onset of monsoon but that does not suffice the lot needed here in Kashmir for brick manufacturing industry.

Administration has worked out a comprehensive plan of action for transportation of migrant labourers from neighbouring states vis- UP, Punjab, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, etc.

"There are set guidelines/SOP's in place regarding transportation of labourers from outside states and those are followed strictly", said Divisional Commissioner, Pandurang K Pole while interacting with KNS. "We allow around 2,000 labourers on daily basis to enter J&K through Lakhanpur. The buses from other states are not allowed to enter J&K, rather JKSRTC is providing/ hiring buses from local transpoters for transportation of labourers from Lakhanpur to the Brick Kiln sites", said P K Pole. Answering a query, he said that the sampling/testing of each and every Labourer is done at the toll post Lower Munda and not a single labourer is allowed to enter Kashmir without testing. He elaborated that the labourers are then quarantined at their respective Brick Kiln sites for 3 days or untill the test comes negative.
"Bricks are essential for developmental activities, especially building and housing projects and we want to promote these developmental activities in public as well as private sectors" Divisional Commissioner said.

CMO Kulgam, who is monitoring the sampling/testing process at Lower Munda said that there are at least 15 stalls in place at Lower Munda, for around 1500 to 2000 labourers (on daily basis) who came here from neighbouring states to start the developmental and other activities in the division. Replying to a question he said that around ten thousand samples have been collected till Sunday evening and their report is awaited. He hoped that the reports of many will come out till night.

According to set guidelines/SOP's, copy of which is with KNS, the Brick Kiln owner have to provide the lists of labourers, with all the details in a prescribed format, to their respective Assistant Labour Commissioners. The Assistant Labour Commissioners have to forward this list to the Labour Commissioner J&K. The Labour Commissioner J&K then has to prepare at daily manifest of around 2000 labourers and forward the same to the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir/Jammu, Nodal Officer incharge Lakhanpur and District Magistrates' Kathua and Anantnag.

The movement of labourets is being regulated by Labour Department in coordination with Divisional commissioners office Jammu.

The owner of a Brick Killn is responsible to facilitate the movement of labourers from source state to Lakhanpur on his own expense, after following the necessary SOP's and from Lakhanpur, the incharge Nodal Officer, in coordination with Labour Commissioner J&K, will regulate the inward movement of the labourers.

JKSRTC is responsible for arranging the buses for transportation of these labourers and the costs are being beared by brick kiln owners himself.

Taking into account the security issues, the invert movement from Jawahar Tunnel is allowed between 6:00 a.m to 5 p.m. To avoid rush at sampling site at Lower Munda, the labourers from Banihal are allowed in batches of 10 buses each, with a time interval of 15 to 20 minutes between the two. Taking into account the large number of vehicles, around 70, on daily basis, sufficient number of police escort is provided from Jawahar Tunnel to Brick Kiln sites, under the supervision of IG Kashmir. IG Police (traffic) is responsible for coordination of movement from Kathua to Valley and SSP Ruler Kashmir has to deploy sufficient manpower from Jawahar Tunnel to Brick Kilin sites for Brick Kilin sites for smooth movement of labourers. All the arrangements for labour vis-a-vis boarding, lodging, hand washing, sanitization, providing face mask etc shall be made by Brick Kiln owner during the period of stay of the Labourers.

Also Divisional level and District level Coordination teams have been framed for hassle-free inward movement of migrant labourers.(KNS)