IMPHAL, September 26: The Director of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (CAF&PD), Department has reiterated that the labourers engaged in lifting of rice from Sangaiprou Godown are not the responsibility of the department.
A statement issued by the Director CAF&PD, M Yaiskul Meitei, maintained that the labourer are hired by the labour contractor adding the official business between the contractor and department is over once their contract expired.
He claimed that the agitating labourers are hired by the former contractors and as such working under the present contractors or not is the choice of labourer. However, as per continued process the department has replaced the former contractor with a new one.
The department has not been able to implement the latest upgraded labour wages due to legal complications, even though the wage board has come into effect from August 1, it explained.
While terming the relentless agitations staged by the labours`™ spouses as unfortunate, it appealed to the public not to co-operate with the agitators, stating that they are misleading the public.