Bahrain fire tragedy survivors camping under miserable conditions

Dubai, Aug 1 (UNI) Gloom looms large in the makeshift camps where the survivors of the Bahrain fire tragedy, in which 16 Tamil Nadu workers had been killed, live in fear of deportation for not possessing valid papers.

The makeshift accomodation for 196 survivors lacks basic amenities with no proper sanitation facility and electricity shortage. The workers are also facing food and water crisis as they are provided with only two water cans and two chapatis.

Reports here say even volunteer organisations that came over and took photographs with the workers in distress have disappeared.

However, some community leaders came to ensure food and water were made available in plenty, but there was no trace of officials from the construction company that had promised to give them Bahrain Dinar 3 (Rs 370) for food, which the workers claimed defaulted in the salary payment.

Meanwhile, the Building and Construction committee at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry demanded that firms that recruit such people on free visa should be punished severely.

A chamber official said so many free visa workers, who also do not have any insurance cover, are being exploited by the human traffickers.

''Nobody seemed to care,'' he said demanding that a strict code should be applied to all contractors especially those operating their own labour camps.

There could be some 220,000 free visa workers at any given time, he said, amid calls by rights activists asking authorities to speed up the investigation on the labour camp fire.

They said they had paid Rs 1,20,000 to Rs 1,40,000 each to agents either in India or Bahrain.

The Indian embassy has informed the Tamil Nadu government and the protectorate of immigrants in Chennai that bodies of 16 Indian workers to be flown home tonight should be expeditiously cleared.

All 16 victims were native of Villuppuram, Cuddalore and Perambalur districts of Tamil Nadu.

UNI XC PR HS1716