SMEs urge Pimpri-Chinchwad top cop to take action against unauthorised ‘Mathadi’ workers

Mathadi workers or head loaders are labourers employed by industries to load or unload heavy material within their premises. The Mathadi Board is supposed to maintain a list of authorised workers who the industries can employ by paying fixed rates to the board. However, industries have often complained of harassment by unauthorised loaders who allegedly hamper work and try to extract money from businesses. Sandeep Belsare, president of the Small Scale Industries Association of Pimpri-Chinchwad, said the number of unauthorised Mathadi workers in the area has multiplied. Last year, the matter had reached the district collectorate when a group of German companies operating in the Chakan industrial area had complained about the activities of unauthorised Mathadis. The district administration had asked relevant authorities to take action.

Seeking strict implementation of the Mathadi Act, industry representatives said many “unscrupulous elements” have become active in the field. They claimed that taking advantage of the lax policing, many petty criminals have started operating as mathadis in the industrial area.

During the meeting, Belsare and other industrialists raised the issue of lax policing in the industrial area. Small and medium-scale industries suffer due to lack of visible policing, which has led to theft of scrap and other items in the industrial units, claimed Belsare. Industry representatives also expressed concern about the safety of woman workers, as many units are not able to allocate second shifts to woman workers due to such concerns.