A panel discussion on “Extension of Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code 2020 to the Bidi Industry Workers”
22nd February 2025
National Law University Odisha’s Centre for Public Health (CPHL) and Centre for Industrial Relations and Labour Law is organising a panel discussion on “Extension of Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code 2020 to the Bidi Industry Workers”. The session will be held virtually on Saturday, 22nd February 2025, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
About the Discussion: Bidi workers are typically piece-rated workers who roll bidis, a traditional form of hand-rolled bidis, often from their homes. This form of work is highly labor-intensive, and workers are paid based on the number of bidis they roll, rather than a fixed wage. However, this system puts them at a disadvantage, as they face continuous exposure to harmful chemicals, such as tobacco dust, which can lead to serious health hazards like respiratory diseases, skin issues, and long-term health complications. Since they work from home, they miss out on the usual protections provided by employers in formal workplaces, such as safety training, protective equipment, and health insurance. This makes the enforcement of health and safety codes, like the Occupational Health and Safety Workers’ Code (OHSWC), more critical. These codes are essential to ensuring that the health and welfare of bidi workers are safeguarded, even when they lack the conventional protections of a formal workplace setting. While the OSHWC Code 2020 introduces some provisions, its coverage remains inadequate. This discussion will explore ways to enhance legal and policy protections for these workers. The link for the event is given below.
Event Details:
– Date & Time: Saturday, 22nd February 2025; 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM IST
– Google Meet Link https://meet.google.com/uuc-ykab-ydo
About NLUO: National Law University Odisha (NLUO) was established in the year 2009 by Act IV of 2008 of the State of Odisha. Within a short period, NLUO has made its mark as a university engaged in teaching and research in law. It aims at imparting world-class education with relevance to the practical world. The faculty members regularly publish in journals of repute and have been awarded by national and international agencies for their contribution and scholarship. to it.
About CPHL: To advance focused research in the specific domains of law, NLUO has come out with dedicated research centres including on public health. CPHL was established in January 2021 by the Hon’ble Vice- Chancellor, NLUO to promote research in the field of public health laws. It aims to inquire into the paradigm of legal entitlements of people under the right to health and strategise the use of law to promote health equity. In advocating measures for improving the health of the people, we emphasise that public health policies must respect human rights and civil liberties. Apart from research, the Centre provides guidance and consultancy to government and non-government organizations on health policy. We critically scrutinize the compatibility of various public health policies and programs with the fundamental rights regime. The Centre is working collaboratively with two expert public health organizations i.e. International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease [‘The Union’] and the Public Health Foundation of India [‘PHFI’].
Centre for Industrial Relations and Labour Laws, (CIRLL): CIRLL was founded with the intention of promoting legal awareness of workers’ rights and working to uphold those rights in both the organised and unorganized sectors. Its goal is to protect workers’ rights in industries ranging from agriculture to construction, paying particular attention to issues involving women and child labour. The Centre aims to carry out extensive research and fieldwork for this purpose, as well as collaborate on projects with other businesses operating in the same field. This would help us support organizations to the best of our ability while also making an academic contribution. The focus of CIRLL’s energy and efforts is on the idea that people should come before money.
For queries, contact – cphl@nluo.ac.in
