Skip to main content

Poor safety norms in mega projects 'led to' migrants' death: Mizoram bridge collapse

By Kirity Roy* 
It has been widely reported in the media that at least 26 migrant workers from West Bengal were killed after an under-construction Railway bridge collapsed in Mizoram on 23rd August, 2023, all of them are from marginalised sections, either from Dalit or from religious minority group. 
We send our heartfelt condolences to families whose loved ones have been taken away from them due to this tragic event. We demand for proper investigation of the incident and due compensation to the families of the victims.
But as a human rights organization we cannot let the incident go away with just condolences. It is quite horrific to recount the number of casualties among the workers in these dangerous projects. In 2020, in a Hindi news portal named Amar Ujala, it was reported that at least 80 workers have lost their lives building the Atal Tunnel. We are seeing a repetition of the same in this case. This repeated incidence of deaths is simulating some genuine question on the safety standards of the work place in this mega-structure-projects.
The utter negligence of the government towards the lives of the working class, especially the migrant workers was exposed during the Covid-19 lock down. From the repetitive incidents which are putting the life of these fellow citizens in danger, we can understand the apathy is systemic. In India, the government has no proper register for the inter-state migrant workers. 
The migrants leave for other States in search for work at their own peril. Article 19(1)(e) of the Constitution, guarantees all Indian citizens the right to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India, subject to reasonable restrictions in the interest of the general public or protection of any scheduled tribe. However, people migrating for work face key challenges including:
  • lack of social security and health benefits and poor implementation of minimum safety standards law,
  • lack of portability of state-provided benefits especially food provided through the public distribution system (PDS) and
  • lack of access to affordable housing and basic amenities in urban areas.
The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (ISMW) Act, 1979 provides certain protections for inter-state migrant workers. Labor contractors recruiting migrants are required to: (i) be licensed, (ii) register migrant workers with the government authorities, and (iii) arrange for the worker to be issued a passbook recording their identity. Guidelines regarding wages and protections (including accommodation, free medical facilities, protective clothing) to be provided by the contractor are also outlined in the law.
But the Central government had not made any concrete and fruitful efforts to ensure that contractors and employers mandatorily register the workers employed with them enabling access to benefits under the Act.
The State Government cannot be absolved either. The lack of work opportunities in the State of West Bengal and a lower rate of wage are forcing an outward migration. For example, according to a report published by the Reserve Bank of India in 2020, there is huge disparity in average daily wage of the workers in different parts of India. Per se, the average daily wage of a non-agricultural worker in the State of West Bengal was INR 291.0, while the same was INR 670, almost double, in Kerala.
This disparity forces a huge number of people to pursue an uncertain journey to find livelihood from one part of the country to the other. The state of West Bengal and Bihar contributes a huge number of migrant labourers in the construction projects in the Southern and other developed States in West Bengal.
While all of the States in India have had a huge construction boom in recent times, the inequality in the average wage of a construction worker is quite striking. In West Bengal the average daily wage of a construction worker in West Bengal is INR 333.4, while in Kerala it is INR 837.7.
We have learnt through the media reports that many among the deceased workers are from Indo-Bangladesh border region of Malda and Murshidabad district. As an organisation working in the border region for the past 25 years, we have seen that the rate of unsafe migration is much higher in the border region due to illegal restrictions put in place on the livelihood of the people by the Border Security Force (BSF).
We have submitted 121 complaints from three districts along the border to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the other government authorities regarding illegal restrictions and livelihood violations. But, sadly no proper measures have been taken by any authorities till date.
Due to all of these reasons the people from the State of West Bengal are under-taking unsafe migration and ending up in the death traps. Since the incident we have seen the representatives of the Union and State government have engaged in a blame game of “who did this”. In reality, all the appendages of the government are to be blamed equally for this tragic incident. We strongly condemn this blame-game after such a tragic incident.
We want to remind the people in power that it is their responsibility to execute the constitutional trinity of “Equality, Liberty and Fraternity”. If, a part of the population has to put their lives in danger to earn a meagre livelihood, it is the responsibility of the government.
We would also like to remind the government that the unorganized workers contribute nearly 50 percent to GDP and only about 6% of unorganized workers are covered by social security measures. More focus should be made on skilling the unorganized workforce (mainly agricultural labour) to make them better equipped in acquiring jobs in the organized sector.
In conclusion, we demand a full and thorough investigation of the tragic incident of Mizoram to reveal the true cause. All those who flouted safe regulations and caused the deaths of workers must be booked under charges of murder and tried in the court of law. These repeated incidents have to stop immediately. The government must take up fruitful actions to protect the rights of the migrant workers as stated in domestic and international laws. We also implore all the stakeholders to call for the same.
---
*Secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM)

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor*  A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.
Post a Comment
»

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra  Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.
Post a Comment
»

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas*  Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Post a Comment
»

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan  Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.
Post a Comment
»

'Bengali Muslim migrant workers face crackdown in Gurgaon': Academic raises alarm

By A Representative   Political analyst and retired Delhi University professor Shamsul Islam has raised serious concerns over the ongoing targeting and detention of Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal in Gurgaon, Haryana. In a public statement, Islam described the situation as "brutal repression" and accused law enforcement agencies of detaining migrants arbitrarily under the pretext of verifying their citizenship.
Post a Comment
»

Deaths in Chhattisgarh are not just numbers – they mark a deeper democratic crisis

By Sunil Kumar  For a while, I had withdrawn into a quieter life, seeking solace in nature. But the rising tide of state-sponsored violence and recurring conflict across India has compelled deeper reflection. The recent incidents of killings in central India—particularly in Chhattisgarh—are not isolated acts. They point to a larger and ongoing crisis that concerns the health of democracy and the treatment of marginalised communities.
Post a Comment
»

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.
Post a Comment
»

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative   At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.
Post a Comment
»

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman*   The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.
Post a Comment
»