Ghaziabad: The district administration has issued an advisory asking builders to avoid engaging labourers at construction sites between 12pm and 4pm amid the prevailing heatwave conditions.The labour department has also launched an awareness campaign at construction sites and labour assembly points across the district to educate workers about heatwave precautions as well as to distribute ORS solutions and cold beverages like shikanji.“As part of the drive, we have held camps at major under-construction sites in Siddharth Vihar and Wave City, covering at least 20,000 construction workers. Officials distributed towels, ORS packets and jaljeera among workers to help them cope with the heat. We also conducted an outreach campaign to spread awareness about heatwave safety measures and the welfare schemes run by the labour department for registered construction workers,” said Ghaziabad deputy labour commissioner Anurag Mishra.According to official data, there are over nine lakh building and other construction workers registered in Ghaziabad.Mishra added that the prohibition on avoiding construction activities between 12pm to 4pm is being followed by almost all sites.“The construction sites are calling workers earlier during the day and starting work at 8am instead of 10am, and then continuing from 4pm to 7pm, instead of ending at 5pm like they usually do,” he said.At the camps held by the labour department, workers were also informed that they can register themselves under the schemes through any jan seva kendra. The schemes provide financial assistance for childbirth, children’s education, daughters’ marriages, disaster relief, critical illnesses and death-related assistance, among other benefits.
