The Act is applicable to your industry also - Construction. Though initially, they were excluded from being applicable, it was removed in 1982 as per the Act. Check Section 32 and notes under 4.
Maybe by slip of the tongue or oversight, the Officer might have said so in a meeting. When your establishment is not expressly covered by the Act, just file your counter citing the relevant section and disown your liability under the Act with a conclusive request to the authority concerned to dispose of the matter on merits; that's sufficient.
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