Chennai, Dec 22 (PTI) The management of a firm, engaged in manufacturing of electronic parts for smartphones, has declared paid holiday for a week till Sunday to its employees after some women workers resorted to a protest on December 18 over a fallout of food poisoning at a company provided accommodation, government sources said on Wednesday.
The company planned to commence production in a “phased manner” at its factory located in neighbouring Sriperumbudur, highly placed sources told PTI.
A large number of women workers engaged in the assembling and manufacturing of electronic parts to smart phones, resorted to protest on Saturday leading to traffic snarl on the busy Chennai-Bengaluru highway. The protest was a fallout of food poisoning that affected workers staying in company provided accommodation at suburban Vellavedu in Tiruvallur district.
Talking to PTI today, a top official said during a meeting in which the management, employees and government officials took part, it was decided that a ‘paid holiday’ would be declared for them till this Sunday. The management informed that it was planned to commence production in a phased manner, he added.
Last week,159 employees fell sick following an outbreak of acute diarrhoeal disease after they allegedly consumed food at the accommodation. All those admitted to various government hospitals were discharged later.
The employees resorted to protest alleging that some affected workers had succumbed. However, after a meeting with Labour Minister T M Anbarasan, revenue and senior government officials, the workers decided to withdraw their stir.
The Kancheepuram district administration also clarified that there were ‘no deaths’ due to food poisoning and appealed to employees not to believe in rumours. In a press release, it announced that necessary legal action was being taken against those who were trying to spread rumours in this connection.
Meanwhile, a detailed e-mail sent to the company seeking information on the issue did not elicit any response. PTI VIJ BN BN
