Withdraw draft amendment allowing women in hazardous industrial work, CPI(M) urges T.N. government

The CPI(M) on Friday urged the Tamil Nadu government to withdraw the draft notification to amend the Tamil Nadu Factories Rules, 1950, to permit women workers to be employed in hazardous industries.

In a statement, the party’s State secretary P. Shanmugam said for the past 75 years, the Tamil Nadu Factories Rules, 1950, had prohibited women from working in 20 hazardous sectors, including electroplating, glass manufacturing, gas and petroleum production, dye manufacturing, chemical mixing in fireworks and match factories, and the production of pesticides and fertilizers.

He pointed out these industries exposed women workers to severe health risks, such as cancer, kidney damage, and birth defects in children, among other fatal illnesses. He also criticised the State government for issuing the draft notification without any consultation with trade unions and said allowing women to be employed in such hazardous sectors was unacceptable and would endanger the lives of working women.