From now onwards, the largely unorganised, semi-skilled and unskilled workers employed in many shops and malls in Gurgaon will get their weekly off on Tuesday. The Haryana government’s labour department has notified the closing of all shops in the city on Tuesdays.
However, labour commissioner NC Wadhwa said that they would not mind allowing employers to keep their shops opened 24X7 only if they strictly adhere to labour laws.
“They must follow the laws so far as following the outer limit for working hours in a week. They must give wage for extra time as laid down in the laws. At any cost no employee should be exploited. In those conditions we can relax the opening of shops,” he added.
He said the gazette notification was issued on February 27 after the department held talks with the traders associations in Gurgaon.
“This is a conscious decision. The earlier proposal of closing shops on Sunday was opposed by the stakeholders as they argued that their sale is much better on official holidays. Hence from now onwards our officials will initiate action against the violators,” he said.
“If the employers feel that Gurgaon is recognised globally, the citizens must follow the best practices,” the labour commissioner said. He said this move is aimed at regulating the working of shops and not to discourage them.
Responding to whether the weekly off declared by the department is linked to an initiative to bring down electricity consumption, Wadhwa said: “This is strictly as per the provisions of Punjab Shops & Commercial Establishments Act 1958. No way it should be linked to the issue of power consumption in Gurgaon.”
Even Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitaran Nigam (DHBVN) managing director Vijayendra Kumar said: “Malls in Gurgaon are not drawing power from us. We are no way connected to that decision of closing the shops in malls.”
Posted By Staff Reporter: Gurgaon City News
in Gurgaon News
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