KOCHI: Though unofficial records say there are over 10 lakh migrant workers in the state, the authorities have not maintained a proper database in this regard. “It is difficult to maintain a concrete data about the number of migrant workers as many of them work on atemporary basis. The registration of migrant workers in the state is progressing under the Kerala Migrant Workers’ Welfare Scheme of the government. We also keep a record of suspicious people in the District Crime Records Bureau. It is the responsibility of the contractors to submit the background details of the workers to the police and get them an identity card. However, we always keep a vigil as many of the labourers are drug abusers,” said K P Philip, SP, Ernakulam Rural. Joint Labour Commissioner M L Tony Vincent said in spite of making it mandatory to assess the data about these labourers, it was impractical as not all of them come to the state through contractors. The directive was issued after Maoist leader Malla Raja Reddy was arrested from a migrant labour settlement in Angamaly in December 2007. “We conduct inspections on the work sites of construction companies to collect details of the workers, but a lot of them change their work every now and then making our efforts futile. The Labour Department has directed the contractors to provide these workers with proper ID cards and most of the permanent workers have it,” he added.
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