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Hundreds of Businesses Fined for Denying Workers Independence Day Holiday
16 Aug
Summary
- 251 establishments in Coimbatore and Tiruppur fined for not declaring Independence Day holiday
- Inspections found violations in shops, industries, food outlets, and transport companies
- Employers face fines of ₹500 to ₹10,000 for not providing paid holiday or compensatory time off
In a move to enforce labor laws, the Labor Department has taken action against hundreds of establishments in the Indian states of Coimbatore and Tiruppur for failing to observe the Independence Day holiday. According to officials, surprise inspections conducted on August 15th, 2025 found 181 violations in Coimbatore and 70 violations in Tiruppur, across a total of 304 shops, industries, food outlets, and transport companies.
The Tamil Nadu Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1958 requires employers to provide paid holidays on key national and festival days, including August 15th, India's Independence Day. Businesses that did not comply now face fines ranging from ₹500 to ₹10,000 per worker, depending on the number of employees involved. Follow-up inspections are scheduled for September to ensure workers either received double wages or a compensatory day off for working on the holiday.
In addition to the enforcement actions, labor officials also used local Gram Sabha meetings to raise awareness about eliminating child and bonded labor. They urged local authorities to insist on self-declarations from contractors in government tenders, affirming that no such exploitative practices are taking place.
