Workers in Humla compelled to work on lay pay

Adanchuli (Humla), July 19: Citizens of Humla have been compelled to work on lay pay while the government was fixing minimum wage for workers. 

The locals are forced to work in half of the minimum wage when Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security is determining wage of labourers working on monthly, daily, hourly and partial time basis, to be effective from this fiscal year. 

According to section 106 (1) of the Labour Act 2074, the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security has a provision to determine the minimum wage based on the recommendation of the Minimum Wage Fixation Committee every two years. 

Accordingly, effective from July 17, the monthly salary for workers other than tea garden workers has been set at Rs 19,550 while it will be Rs 754 per day, Rs 101 per hour, and Rs 107 per hour for part-time workers. 

However, workers here are reported to earn only between Rs 200 to 500 per day. 

Meanwhile, contract employees reportedly earn only between Rs 6,000 to 18,000 per month. 

In various construction projects, workers have stated that the consumers' committee gives each worker a maximum of Rs 500 and a minimum of Rs 200. 

Although payments for most projects here have been closed, the consumers' committee has been delaying distribution of amounts workers are supposed to receive from the projects.

TNavaraj Karki, a worker from Adanuli-3 complained that he has not received his wages from the project despite fund withdrawal for the same. 

He estimates that the wages of labourers have decreased when most projects are brought based on bribery or commissions. 

The laborers are also facing problems while purchasing essential daily items for not timely receive the wages of their work. (RSS)