Industries Minister P. Rajeeve has said that the Industries Department had not received any complaints against the Kitex group of companies.
He said on Wednesday that the complaints of harassment raised by Kitex group’s chairman Sabu Jacob had come to his notice through social media platforms and he had contacted the company management on the issues that were raised. No inspections had been conducted by the Industries Department on the Kitex premises, Mr. Rajeeve said, adding sectoral magistrates and officials from departments other than industries had conducted some inspections at the company.
The Industries Secretary, who was appointed to make an inquiry into the complaints, had reported that the department had not conducted any inspections and that no complaints had been received against the group.
Mr. Rajeeve said that any complaints raised would be looked into with due seriousness and inspections would be held. The State was trying to create an environment of investment friendliness and any complaints should reach the government directly.
Kitex response
Meanwhile, the District Labour Department said it had issued a notice to the Kitex group for failing to comply with minimum wages norms. An official said the notice had been issued after an inspection on the company premises at Kizhakkambalam. The official said there were around 10,000 employees on the premises of the Kitex group and that the minimum wages norms had not been followed. The Labour Department claimed that there were wages arrears and that the company had been put on notice about its failure to comply with the norms.
Reports about the failure of the Kitex group to pay minimum wages come close on the heels of the company declaring that it was withdrawing from investing ₹3,500 crore in different ventures in the State over the next five years.
Kitex group chairman Sabu Jacob said the company had not received any communication from the Labour Department about violations in minimum wages. He said he was aware of reports in a section of the press about it but had not been told officially. He also described as surprising reports appearing in a section of the press even before he was informed of any violation detected by the departments concerned. “The Kitex group has not violated any labour laws,” he said and claimed that the reports of its violations were being spread by vested interests. He had described as “humiliating” the experience of being subjected to repeated checks on the company’s compliance with the existing laws and regulations.
