956 Part 5 of Closure of Private Travels, and the hardships of unpaid Laborers. SOME SOLUTIONS.

Question: You seem to be a fool. Why are you trying to link the Great sculpture of Late Devi Prasad Roy Chowdhury, with the Bus of the now-closed Kesineni Travels, Vijayawada? Ans: Late Devi Prasad Roy Chowdhury, very effectively depicted the Triumph of Labor. Labor does not mean only breaking of stones. It can include thousands of activities undertaken by humans, in their ceaseless attempts to fill their bellies. Nobody can measure the value of the sweat of the Laborers, though monetary wages may be paid to them for their toil, influenced by some vague Economic Theories like Demand and Supply theory of Wages, Opportunity Cost theory of Wages, Marginal Productivity Theory of Wages, etc. While this is so when wages are paid, what will be the position if wages are NOT paid for eight months? According to the news reports the drivers, cleaners, mechanics etc. working in the Kesineni Travels have not been paid their wages for the last eight months. They say that they were surviving with the daily allowance being paid when they were going on outdoor duty. Now, that the Travels is closed, that source of subsistence is not available.

First, you justify your analogy of the DPR Chowdhury's sculpture 'Triumph of Labor' and the 'Travels Laborers'.

Ans: The toil of vehicle drivers not only has a historical heritage, but also a mythological heritage.
The adjacent picture shows the plight of Mahabharata Warrior Karna, trying to lift his wheel struck in mud, while facing the arrows of Arjuna. Drivers and cleaner of vehicles, the tires of which are struck in mud, or which are punctured, or there is some sudden failure of engine or there is some broken axle / rear springs (in Telugu language, these are called kamAnu kaTTAs), when they were cruising through in drenching rains or in blistering Sun @48 degrees C., face innumerable hardships. We have to do some sort of 'para kAya pravEsam' [A Telugu / Sanskrit / Hindi phrase for a sort of empathy. para=others. kAya=body. pravESam=enter, entry. Gist: We have to enter into the body(ies) of other persons to know their feelings and experience their hardships (sometimes joys also)]. Till the wheels are pulled out of the mud, or the punctured tyre is replaced, or the broken axle / kamAn kaTTa is replaced, their slogging will be LIMITLESS. Though not identical to, the exertions of the drivers, cleaners and mechanics, can be compared to the sweat of the Laborers in the DP Roy Chowdhury's sculpture 'Triumph of Labor'. When the vehicle starts cruising again, their pains will get gradually reduced, and at the end of the day, they return home with their 'triumphs' in memories.

But the above is the story of PAID WORKERS. What will be the misery of the workers who are denied their wages for their slogging of eight months?

SOME IMMEDIATE SOLUTION

It appears that in Andhra Pradesh, or in India, the Labor Dept. Govt. Officials, or Govt. Officials of any other Departments do not seem to have powers to conduct an immediate search of the Business Premises of the Employers who default on wages / who close their businesses. (There may be some forgotten Sections of Law, never implemented by the Government Officials).
If required, the Government of Andhra Pradesh immediately issue an Ordinance signed by the Governor, empowering Govt. Officials to search and seize cash / movables / vehicles in the closed business premises of the Employer. The Ordinance should also have provision for confiscating the Employer's Personal Properties. Workers' Wages cannot wait for the Liquidation of Companies under Indian Companies Act by High Courts, and for appointment of Official Receivers / Assignees / Liquidators. Pledgees / Hyphothecatees / mortgagees should be forced to sell the assets in their charge / under their possession, and pay the Workers Wages immediately.

All the things seized should be immediately sold in Open Public Auction by giving just three days notice to the Employer. Proceeds of the Auction should be paid to the Workers immediately.

Under no circumstances, laborers should be made to wait for the outcome of Court suits and judgements.

LONG TERM, PREVENTIVE SOLUTION

For this also, we have to amend labor laws. At the beginning of the month, an Employer should calculate the wages he will be liable to pay the Workers for the ensuing month, and should deposit the money so calculated in an Escrow Account with a Bank opened for the purpose. The Bank should not allow the amounts in that account to be withdrawn for any other purpose. At the end of the month, the Employer can issue cheques / issue Account Transfer instructions for payment of wages, by credit to the personal accounts of the employees. If this procedure is followed, why will wages accumulate for eight months?

For knowing this, why does Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh require a KAIZEN APP? HOW IS IT THAT: A Great self-declared EXPERIENCED GREAT-Administrator like Mr. Nara Chandra Babu Naidu, did not know about the default committed in payment of wages by his own Member of Parliament. Mr. Naidu is not legendary Dhritarashtra, nor Mr. Nani is Dhritarashtra's son Duryodhana. What were the Transport Minister, Transport Secretaries, Labor Secretaries, CMO, IAS/IPS Officers doing? At least they ought to have gathered information about defaults in payment of wages, and reported to their boss!!!

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