ORDER

1. The Building and Other Construction Workers' (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 (for short "the Act") came into force on 1-3-1996. In this petition filed under Article 32, the petitioner, National Campaign Committee for Central Legislation on Construction Labour contends that many of the States and Union Territories have not effectively implemented the provisions of the said Act.

2. The object of the Act is to confer various benefits to the construction workers, like fixing hours for normal working days, weekly paid rest day, wages for overtime, basic welfare amenities at site, temporary living accommodation near site, safety and health measures, etc. Every State is required to constitute a State Welfare Board to provide assistance in case of accident, to provide pension, to sanction loans, to provide for group insurance, to provide financial assistance for educating children, medical treatment, etc. Though the Welfare Boards were to be constituted with adequate full-time staff, many States have not constituted the Welfare Boards. In some States, even though the Boards are constituted, they are not provided with necessary staff or facilities. As a