Coal mine owners told to register their migrant labourers

The government of Meghalaya has asked all coal mine owners and cement plant operators in Jaintia hills district to get their migrant labourers registered under work permit system being introduced recently in the state. In an order issued by the Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Khliehriat today, the coal mine owners, cement plant operators, contractors and other companies were directed to register their migrant labourers with the labour inspector at the earliest. Khliehriat Civil Sub-division has several thousand of migrant workers and there are concern among the local people of the district that they could swamp by the rising population of non-tribal labourers. The state government had notified implementation of work permit system on October 14. Separate committees at the district-level and sub-divisional levels are also being constituted to register all migrant labourers.