This is a question that many ask themselves, often too late, when the roads are already flooded. Questioned in Parliament by Jean Francisco François, Minister Ashok Subron announced a major change, the Workers Rights Act will soon be amended.
Objective: to protect workers in the event of torrential rain – without distinction between public and private. The project, led with Reza Uteem, is already at an advanced stage.
The problem is that current law, particularly the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2016, no longer fully responds to this reality.
As a reminder, the passage of Cyclone Belal in January 2024 changed the situation. Incidents have highlighted a flaw, that is, in crisis situations, workers are not always clearly protected. A new legal protocol specific to torrential rains is in preparation.
At the same time, the minister confirmed that 156 evacuation centers are “mobilizable” in the event of a disaster, offering essential products. Financial aid is also planned, including an allocation of Rs 250 per person per night for evacuees, as well as equivalent aid for food losses due to flooding. On the structural level, a unit dedicated to climate has been created within the ministry in order to integrate the notion of climate victims into public policies. “A Climate Victims Plan is being prepared, including flood protection measures, the construction of better-equipped evacuation centers, as well as relocation projects for vulnerable people,” Ashok Subron said.
Another announcement: the planned creation of a Climate Victims Compensation Fund, intended to ensure sustainable financing, rapid disbursement of aid in the event of a disaster and better financial resilience of affected people.
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