VEHARI
Though the government had fixed minimum rates of wages as Rs740 per thousand bricks last year, the owners of brick kilns have not been implementing the orders even on the order of the Lahore High Court, alleged the local labourers. 
The labourers said that the court had directed the DCO Vehari one month ago to ensure the implementation of the order. Meanwhile, the owners of brick kilns had started taking revenge on the labourers for filing the suit against them.
Against the non-implementation of the order, a petition had been filed with the Lahore High Court’s Multan bench by the labourers including Talib Hussain, Allah Ditta, Ashiq Hussain, M Mustafa, Rab Nawaz, M Saleem, Mohammad Bahadur, Muhammad Shafie, Sadiq Ali, Khuda Bakhsh, Riaz Ahmed, Abdul Aziz, Mumtaz Ahmed and M Hafeez. They said that despite the court order, the district administration had taken no steps for the redressal of their grievances.
Over the alleged victimisation, they took to the streets against the administration for its failure to protect their rights. They requested the chief justice of Pakistan and chief minister of Punjab to ensure implementation of the order.
The government had published the notification on November 05, 2013 regarding minimum rates of wages for adult unskilled and juvenile workers employed in any industry according to which minimum rate of wages for workers employed in brick kiln industry and work Brick Layer (Ordinary Bricks) was fixed as Rs740 per thousand bricks.
Bazaar being set up: The district administration has purchased commodities for four Ramazan bazaars being set up here.
Besides, it has also purchased tents and others articles to be used for the installation of such bazaars. Earlier, the administration had got such articles on rent. It shall also set up at least 40 dastarkhawan during the holy month to offer food to the deserving poor for Sehr and Iftar. The DCO claimed that at the bazaars, the daily use items would be available at subsidised rates.