A report of the Labour Department's inspection at the Kitex Group's factory in Kizhakkambalam has come out even as the apparel major is in the process of shifting base to Telangana.
The report has listed out serious shortcomings on the part of the company and they include lack of drinking water and adequate toilets for the employees.
The report also stated that employees were being forced to work on holidays without additional payment. Manorama News has accessed a copy of the report.
The other offences include non-payment of minimum wages, slapping of unwarranted fines on the employees and non-submission of annual report. The report also states that the company has not been paying wages on time. The labour department could not find the salary register, the report further states.
The labour department inspectors found that the company has not kept a register of the details of contracts signed with the employees. The company has not arranged adequate medical facilities for labourers from other states.
Report hastily drafted: Sabu
Kitex Group Chairman and Managing Director Sabu M Jacob has rubbished the findings in the report. He said the report was prepared without examining any documents. He said the government's approach was an insult to industrialists and he could challenge each allegation.
The Kitex Group, the textile major in Kerala, and the state government has been engaged in a direct confrontation with the latter backing off from a proposed Rs 3,500 crore project in the state.
Kitex Group on Friday announced that it will invest Rs 1,000 crore to set up its apparel manufacturing unit in the Kakatiya Mega Textiles Park (KMTP) at Warangal in Telangana.
The announcement came after a series of meetings by the company's top leadership with Telangana Industry Minister K. T. Rama Rao and senior officials.
After alleging that he was "kicked out" of Kerala, the MD, along with other company officials, flew in to Hyderabad on Friday in a chartered flight arranged by the Telangana government for a series of meetings with the minister and his team.
After the controversy escalated to new heights, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said all that was being heard in the state about the adverse industrial scenario was something that was heard often in the past, but such a situation no longer exists.
"This issue being raised now against Kerala is nothing but an attempt to shame our state and should be seen as something done with intent," said Vijayan.
Vijayan did not say a word about Kitex or name Jacob, instead he touched upon the rankings that the Niti Aayog had come out recently which ranked Kerala as the first in the country when it comes to investment friendly destinations.
