The fire that killed seven workers at India’s NANDAN denim factory not only exposed the poor working conditions in the textile industry, but also demonstrated the lax enforcement of safety standards by government departments, which are often… Large corporate groups collude.
Had it not been for this incident, the factories of India’s largest denim producer would have continued to suffer from poor working conditions. Even basic firefighting equipment was found to be out of commission at the facility in Ahmedabad.
Workers had to die in order for government industrial safety agencies to wake up and take action.
The Director of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) under the Ministry of Labor and Employment has issued a closure notice to Nandan Denim Co., Ltd. on Sunday over its operation at Narol-Pirana Road A major fire has broken out at a denim factory, killing seven people on Saturday night.
“We have issued a closure order to the facility to ensure that no more lives are at risk. We will review safety aspects before resuming production.” Department of Labor and Employment Principal Deputy Secretary Vipul Mittra said. One wonders whether this is a review or a serious examination of this and several other similar facilities that exist in the country.
Nandan said that an ex-gratia compensation of 1 million rupees will be paid to each of the next of kin of the deceased. “Also, the company will provide a job to one family member of each deceased person based on their qualifications,” he added.
Deputy Commissioner of Police RB Rana ) said the factory’s general manager, a full-time director, a fire safety officer and three other men were booked and not guilty of murder. Police arrested the general manager, fire safety officer and full-time director.
Meanwhile, a fire department official said that the prefabricated shed structure of the factory warehouse only had a narrow staircase and did not have any air circulation, leading to more deaths as the victims The person is trapped inside. “Furthermore, no fire safety equipment was found to be operating,” he added. The cause of the fire was still under investigation, he said.
This negligence on one of the largest denim factories in India is shocking and raises yet again the Same question: Do job safety standards exist only on paper? How do these facilities pass industrial safety inspections? Why do international retailers turn a blind eye to these working conditions while trying to get factories in neighboring Bangladesh to improve worker safety? How much does it cost to establish a safe work environment?
According to its website, Nandan Denim is associated with major retailers in the United States. Nandan said it supplies jeans, denim and other apparel to more than 20 global brands, including popular retailers such as Target, Ann Taylor, Mango and Wrangler, and its sister companies supply products to Walmart and H&M.
A number of major brands, including Ann Taylor, Target, Zara and Pull & Bear, said they were not Nandan customers and had no relationship with Nandan, the Associated Press reported. Target said it is working to remove its name from their website and annual reports. Joe Fresh, a fashion brand founded for Canada’s Loblaw Companies Ltd, said Nandan is not a supplier and does not produce goods. But company officials said they believe one of their approved suppliers has purchased a large amount of denim from Nandan and they are investigating further. Target and other companies did not respond to questions about whether their authorized suppliers had purchased denim from Nandan.
Inditex, Zara’s parent company, said Nandan has produced 10,000 pairs of jeans for its other brand, Lefties.
Nandan’s sister company, Nandan Terry, supplies towels and sheets to many U.S. stores, including Walmart and H&M, according to ImportGenius shipping records. The companies said they would also investigate the situation. WRANGLER jeans maker Kontoor Brands said it last worked with the factory in 2014.
Amar Barot of the Textile Labor Association said working conditions in textile factories across the city were grim, with few inspections and few safety regulations. Balot said: “These events are irreversible and only strict monitoring by the government and its agencies can help prevent such disasters.”
He also said that over the past few decades, , union organizing in the region has been declining, making it difficult for workers’ voices to be heard.
“It doesn’t cost a lot to have a fire escape in a textile factory,” said Scott Nova, executive director of the Washington Workers Rights Association. Brands and Retailers are well aware of the safety risks in the Indian apparel and textile industry, yet they choose to do business with unsafe suppliers.” “The result is that workers die in avoidable factory disasters.”
In December, a fire broke out at a factory in New Delhi that produces handbags, hats and other clothing, killing 43 people.
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