District magistrate Medha Roopam inspected a medical camp at Ambedkar Bhawan in Surajpur on Friday
Noida: The district administration is attempting a mega outreach to industrial workers after protests on April 13 underlined the hard conditions they are forced to live in because of very low wages.
On Friday, it announced medical camps across the district — where an estimated 13 lakh people are employed in 12,000 industrial units — on May 1, which the world marks as Workers’ Day.The administration will set up 201 medical camps across the city while all govt hospitals and 22 private hospitals will provide free consultations, diagnostic tests, surgeries and medicines throughout the day. The administration will also introduce creches in factories and industrial units that lack the facility.Officials said the May 1 camps will provide a range of healthcare services, including general health checkups, dental treatment, eye screening, gynaecological consultations, mammography, breast screening, TB and HIV testing, cancer screening and X-rays.DM Medha Roopam appealed to workers to also bring their family members to the camps. “This is not a one-day exercise. We want to build a culture where preventive healthcare regularly reaches workers,” she said, adding that the administration is identifying factories and industrial units where creches will be set up.
“While several industries already have creche facilities, we are conducting a survey to determine how many factories and units still need them,” Roopam told TOI.Jyoti, who works at a garments factory in Noida Phase 2, said creches would make it easier for working parents to manage childcare. She said she and her husband both work in the area and leave their two children — aged three and seven — with an elderly woman in their neighbourhood until they return.
Jyoti said that if a creche is available at her factory, she would be able to bring her younger child with her while the older one attends school.Under Section 48 of the Factories Act, 1948, factories employing more than 30 women workers are required to provide suitable, clean and well-ventilated rooms for children under six years of age. These creches must be supervised by trained women.Industry representatives said women workers are concentrated mainly in garments and electronics sectors in Noida, where creche facilities are already common.
Vipin Malhan of Noida Entrepreneurs Association said compliant industries provide daycare and feeding rooms for women employees. Dharmendra Nagar, a labour contractor supplying around 10,000 workers to about 15 factories in Noida and Greater Noida, said creches are available in most factories, especially larger ones.Ahead of the May 1 drive, the district administration organised medical camps at 25 locations in labour-intensive areas on Friday.Roopam inspected one such camp at Ambedkar Bhawan in Surajpur, where she reviewed arrangements, interacted with workers and sought feedback on the services being offered.“May 1 campaign is being planned on a much larger scale so that workers and their families can access quality healthcare near their homes and workplaces.” Roopam said. The aim, she said, is to ensure that no worker is denied treatment because of distance, cost or lack of awareness.The DM also said the district administration, health department, private hospitals and voluntary organisations are working together to expand healthcare outreach in industrial belts and labour settlements. She added that the effort is intended to go beyond a single day and build a system in which preventive healthcare regularly reaches workers.Chief medical officer Dr Narendra Kumar said Friday’s camps saw participation from hospitals, NGOs and health teams providing specialised services. At the Surajpur camp, the health department carried out general screenings and distributed medicines.Officials said camps were held in labour-dense areas such as Surajpur, Baraula, Sarfabad, Salarpur, Gejha, Kulesara, Chapraula, Habibpur, Mangrauli, Kakrala and Bhangel, along with slum clusters across Noida.
