Pune: Labour contractors poaching workers, complains Industry body

Thousands of migrant workers have left Maharashtra amid the coronavirus lockdown. Due to which the industry bodies in Pune district on complained that labour contractors are now `poaching' remaining workers.

According to Federation of Chakan Industries (FCI), around one lakh migrant labourers have so far left Chakan-Talegaon industrial belt.

"Only 50 to 60 thousand workers are left behind, and more people are leaving," said Dileep Batwal, secretary, FCI.

This was creating labour shortage, leading to poaching of remaining workers by labour contractors, he said.

"If this continues, it will lead to a serious problem of law and order and industrial activities will take a hit," he cautioned.

Industry representatives took up the issue in a meeting with Pune divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar and asked him to formulate guidelines, he said.

Mhaisekar said that a report will be sent to the state government about industries' grievances.

In such case people who are returning from other states should be given skill-based training and hired, he said.