Labour Minister inspects ESI Hospital in Tirupati
Tirupati: Minister for Labour Vasamsetti Subhash conducted a surprise inspection of ESI Hospital in Tirupati on Friday. During his visit, he interacted with patients admitted to the hospital, inquired about their issues and inspected the male ward. The Minister sought feedback from patients undergoing treatment about the quality of medical services provided.
Minister Subhash expressed satisfaction with the hospital’s cleanliness, patient care and the functioning of the canteen. Commending the medical superintendent Dr M Syam Babu for maintaining these standards, he emphasised the importance of sustaining such efforts.
Following the inspection, the Minister held a review meeting with doctors and hospital staff to discuss ways to further improve services for ESI beneficiaries. During the session, outsourcing staff with over 15 years of service submitted a memorandum requesting the filling of vacancies in the insurance medical department, with priority given to them.
Later, Minister Subhash, accompanied by district Collector Dr S Venkateswar, chaired a review meeting at the Collectorate to address worker safety and welfare issues. The minister stressed the need for industrial management to operate with a strong commitment to safety. He reiterated the government’s focus on the welfare, health, and safety of workers across the state.
He proposed the formation of a ten-member district-level committee chaired by the Collector to monitor high-risk industries, such as those dealing with chemicals, petrochemicals, fertilizers and steel. The minister highlighted that around 11.5 lakh workers are employed across various industries in the state and emphasised Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s vision of promoting business efficiency and worker safety.
Collector Dr Venkateswar provided a detailed overview of the district’s industries, noting that 18 chemical factories and 12 hazardous units operate in the area. He revealed that 22 fatal industrial accidents had occurred in the past five years, predominantly in high-risk industries. He stressed establishing a one-man safety committee within each factory to address workers’ needs and prevent accidents.
Senior officials, including Joint Labour Commissioner Balu Naik, Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories Ramakrishna Reddy and ESI officials participated in the meeting alongside representatives from industrial and hazardous sectors.