India

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    Samsung workers in Chennai win union recognition following lengthy legal battle

    Workers’ rights campaigners are hailing a landmark victory for the Indian labour movement after a Samsung Electronics plant in Chennai recently became only the second Samsung Electronics plant in the world to formally recognise a trade union.

    By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 09 February 2025

    Istock 458093369 Credit Jeremyrichards 500 Wide Min

    India’s waste pickers: indispensable but invisible

    India’s huge army of informal waste collectors play a vital role in reducing the environmental impact of the country’s vast waste mountain, but fears are growing that the expanding involvement of private firms in waste management threatens both the waste pickers’ livelihoods and wider efforts to improve their working and living conditions.

    By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 07 February 2025

    Istock 1280697755 Credit Naturecreator 500 Min

    Occupational cancer: a ticking timebomb in construction

    India’s construction workforce faces a heightened risk of occupational cancer due to poor control of exposure to carcinogens like asbestos, silica and UV radiation from the sun. And with the sector expected to expand rapidly in the coming years, campaigners are calling for immediate action from government and employers to prevent further increases in harmful exposure though better regulation and control of work tasks and sites.

    By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 07 February 2025

    Istock 536015879 Credit Danielrao

    COP29 climate finance deal for developing nations ‘abysmally poor’, warns India

    The commitment by developed countries at the COP29 UN conference to channel $300 billion a year to developing countries by 2035 to ramp up climate action fails to address the enormity of the decarbonisation and adaptation challenge facing developing nations like India, the country’s representative to the conference has warned.

    By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 10 December 2024

    Istock 1500851397 Credit Dimple Bhati 500 Wide Min

    Green jobs: how Indian women can play a major role in the renewables drive

    Although India is fast expanding its renewable energy capacity and green industries like electric vehicle production, women are currently poorly represented in green jobs. However, commentators say this needs to rapidly change if the country is to hit its target of shifting to clean energy by 2050.

    By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 09 December 2024

    Istock 458921925 Credit Bdphoto 500 Wide Min

    Delhi’s annual Diwali air pollution problem triggers renewed calls for stronger measures to protect public health

    Public health campaigners are demanding stronger action to prevent the setting off of fireworks and the burning of agricultural stubble after levels of PM2.5 fine particulate matter air pollution exceeded the ‘safe’ threshold by around 15 times in the capital Delhi during the annual Diwali festival.

    By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 10 November 2024

    Amresh K. Deshmukh Cropped 500 Min

    Process safety management: the importance of getting it right

    Process safety incidents at major hazard plants, such as chemical and gas leaks, can have catastrophic consequences for workers, local communities and the environment. However, by carefully assessing the risks and establishing suitable policies, systems and procedures, businesses can keep everyone safe, explains Amresh K. Deshmukh, head of process safety management at British Safety Council.  

    By Amresh K. Deshmukh on 10 November 2024

    Istock 1133727887 Credit Abhisheklegit 500 Wide Min

    Road safety in India: could better road safety, vehicle technology and enforcement make driving for work safer?

    India has a poor road safety record, and research shows that commercial vehicles are a major contributor to the problem, with trucks estimated to be the single largest vehicle type involved in impacts leading to fatalities. We look at solutions that could make driving for work and the roads in general safer – from in-vehicle technology that warns truck drivers about unsafe behaviour to improving the design features of major highways.

    By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 10 November 2024

    Istock 1028676076 Credit Jacoblund Edited 500 Wide Min

    Equal opportunities for female workers: why India is making slow progress

    Although the Indian government wants to boost the number of women in employment, commentators say women are being prevented from securing jobs and advancing their careers through a combination of employer prejudice, a lack of family-friendly employment practices and outdated prohibitions on the types of work females can do.

    By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 07 October 2024

    Istock 665747178 Credit Mangostar Studio 500 Min

    Long working hours: a growing problem for India

    The death of a young female accountant at Ernst & Young in India, allegedly following a gruelling workload, has sparked debate about the need to tackle the long working hours culture in corporate India to protect workers’ mental and physical health. 

    By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 07 October 2024