A delegation of the CPI(ML) Liberation visited the families of the construction workers from Nadia district who lost their lives in the Taratala warehouse collapse on June 26 and expressed solidarity with the bereaved families.
The delegation demanded a judicial inquiry into the tragedy, exemplary punishment for all those responsible, adequate compensation for the families of the deceased, a permanent government job for one member of each bereaved family, and guaranteed safety, fair wages and comprehensive social security for all construction workers.
During its visit, the delegation found that no proper register of workers had been maintained at the construction site, in blatant violation of labour laws. It also raised serious concerns over the complete absence of workplace safety measures and questioned whether mandatory soil testing had been carried out before construction, whether the engineering design had been compromised to cut costs, and how the project secured official approval despite these glaring lapses. The delegation further questioned whether the authorities had ensured compliance with the sanctioned building plan and construction safety norms.
The delegation also noted that one of the deceased workers, Rahul Choudhury, was only 17 years old, raising serious questions about the employment of a minor at a hazardous construction site and exposing another grave violation of labour laws.
The delegation asserted that the Taratala warehouse collapse was not an accident but the outcome of criminal negligence driven by the pursuit of profit at the cost of workers' lives. It pointed out that the tragedy once again exposed the widespread violation of labour laws, the systematic erosion of regulatory oversight and the growing impunity enjoyed by contractors and companies. It further observed that the disaster bore all the hallmarks of a nexus of negligence and corruption that must be brought to light through a judicial inquiry.
The delegation further observed that the BJP government's policy of promoting "ease of doing business" has systematically weakened labour protections, diluted regulatory oversight and emboldened employers to bypass safety norms and legal obligations. The result, it said, is increasing exploitation of workers and recurring industrial disasters that continue to claim the lives of working people.
CPI(ML) Liberation reiterated that the struggle for justice for the victims of the Taratala tragedy is inseparable from the broader fight to defend workers' rights, enforce labour laws, ensure safe working conditions and hold those responsible for such preventable deaths fully accountable.
