November 18, 2019
Pratima Mondal speaks on the need for law to regulate long working hours at private workplaces
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Thank you, Chairman Sir. I would like to draw the attention of the House to the fact that most of the Indian private companies have 9 to 12 hours of work schedule per day ranging up to 6 days a week. If we include travel time, which is almost one hour one side, half the population spends 11 to 14 hours outside their home.
This leads to stress, anxiety, cardiovascular disease and depression. Most of the employees cannot concentrate on work due to long hours of work. Sir, the impact on work, mental health problems can have serious consequences for individual as well as for the organisation’s productivity.
As per the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries, mental ill health is responsible for one-third and half of long-term sickness and disability in the working age population. Sir, we in India do not have any law to restrict this phenomena.
So, I would like to request the Government to look into this matter and this should be discussed in the Parliament and fixed before getting the ‘Occupational Health Safety Working Condition Bill’ passed taking up in itself and to fix the time period.
Thank you Sir, for giving me the opportunity.
