Even as several incidents of accidents at construction sites have been reported in the last few months, resulting in the death of a number of workers, the office of the labour commissioner in the city has remained severely short-staffed. Advertising Of the 16 posts of government labour officers (GLOs) in Pune, only four are currently occupied. These four officers are responsible for inspection of all the commercial establishments as well as ongoing construction sites in the district. Officers conceded that the shortage of manpower had been hampering the work of inspection and implementation of labour welfare practices in the district. GLOs are expected to visit all the establishments which employ labour. These officers are also authorised to visit ongoing construction sites to see if the prescribed safety precautions are followed. In case the officers find anything amiss, they are empowered to issue a stop work notice for such sites. These orders of GLOs can only be revoked by the Commissioner of Labour in Mumbai. Apart from Pune itself, the office of the additional labour commissioner in the city is also entrusted to implement labour welfare laws in the districts of Solapur, Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur. Thus, the severe staff crunch has stretched the limits of the office to the extreme. The danger to labourers was highlighted when three construction workers lost their life after a portion of a slab of an under-construction temple in Pimple Gurav collapsed on them earlier this week. Apart from staff crunch, changes in the labour laws have also affected implementation of these laws. Instead of regular visits, labour officers are now expected to conduct random visits of establishments. “The companies which are to be visited are randomly generated via computer,” said a labour officer. With just four officers functional in Pune, the number of companies which are visited thus would be very few. Smaller establishments which are registered under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishment Act are deemed to be inspected by shop inspectors. Of the 36 posts which are sanctioned in Pune, only 17 are manned. Shop inspectors are required to inspect shops, theatres, canteens, hotels etc. These inspectors, who also have the power to file legal cases, are empowered to enter any establishment to check whether health and security of the workers are taken care of. Regular inspections, officers of the labour office said, was difficult in view of the staff crunch. Chandrashekar Dhumal, Maharashtra president of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (the labour wing of RSS), said they have been raising this issue since the last six months. “Most officers are given additional charges. They are unable to do justice to either of their charges. Officers are overburdened and the government should immediately take steps to fill up the vacancies,” he said. Advertising Dhumal said the Mega Bharti, the recruitment process of the state government, was held up because of the Maratha reservation issue, but now that is has been resolved, the code of conduct will kick in.

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