HC seeks Centre's reply to PIL on labourers' safety at Alang

The Gujarat High Court directed the central government today to file its reply to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), which sought labourers' safety at Alang ship-breaking yard in Bhavnagar district.
A two-judge bench of the Gujarat High Court comprising acting Chief Justice V M Sahai and Justice R P Dholaria directed the Centre government today, for the second time, as its last chance, to file an affidavit in reply to the PIL before the next hearing on January 7.
On April 4, the Gujarat High Court had directed the central government to file its reply to a plea which had alleged lack of safety for thousands of labourers working in Alang ship-breaking yard. However, the centre had failed to reply.

The plea was filed by Bhavnagar-based citizen Pradeepsinh Gohil, who had stated that labourers at Alang ship-breaking yard are deprived of facilities like proper residential accommodation, hospitals for emergency medical treatment and sanitation facilities which are guaranteed under labour law.
"Thousands of labourers live in slums close to Alang ship-breaking yard, with little or no sanitation facility. Workers die or sustain severe injuries owing to explosions, fire, falling steel plates, gas leakage, inadequate safety measures or due to suffocation," the petition said.
"However, there is lack of a full-fledged hospital at Alang-Sosiya ship-breaking yard to deal with emergencies and life-threatening situation," the petition said.

The petitioner also raised issues of coastal security, submitting that the threat of a future terrorist attack cannot be ruled out at the Alang ship-breaking yard.