Kharafi labor issues: Minister VK Singh to visit Kuwait next week
IIK Staff Reporter
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
In its continuous effort to solve the issue of thousands of Indian workers in Kharafi National Company, the minister of external affairs Gen Mr VK Singh will be visiting Kuwait next week to discuss the issue again with Kuwaiti authorities. Minister VK Singh along with the newly appointed Indian Ambassador to Kuwait Sri Jeev Sagar will be meeting the Kuwaiti authorities on Jan 11th to discuss and find a lasting solution for the issues of distressed Indian workers at the Kharafi Company.
Indian embassy earlier on several occasion, raised the issue of distressed Indian workers at Kharafi Company with the Kuwaiti authorities. During his visit to Kuwait in September, Indian Minister Sri M J Akbar had raised this issue with the highest Kuwaiti authorities. During his meeting with Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Hind Al-Sabeeh in September, Kuwait Minister assured that an early resolution will be taken within two weeks’ time. She had requested Indian Embassy to submit the list of Indian workers to take appropriate action. However, even after Indian embassy submitted the list of around 3000 plus Indian workers, there is no concrete action taken yet neither from the company nor from the Kuwaiti authorities.
More than 3000 Indians working for National Kharafi group are not getting their salary for more than 8 to 10 months. Many of them who resigned from The Company are waiting for their pending salary and settlement to leave Kuwait. Meanwhile, many of their residency are expired. They are also unable to leave the country as they already have huge amount as fine for their expired residency.
Every month the company had repeatedly assured the workers they would get their salaries, only to renege on the promises at the end of the month. Without any financial resources, the employees continue to live under desolate conditions in their camp in Shuaiba Industrial Area, sometimes for weeks without water, poor sanitation, intermittent electricity, and with no access to proper medical care.
Embassy had on several occasion requested the authorities to wave of the residency fine and allow the labors to leave the country without paying the fine. Embassy also requested the authorities to allow them to transfer their residency to other companies where they can work. However no action has been taken from the authorities till date on this regard.
Gen VK Singh is expected to raise the issue again with the Kuwaiti side to find an immediate action on this pressing issue. Minister’s visit exclusively to solve this issue give a little solace to the large number of distressed Indians at the company camp.
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