Champua Independent MlA Sanatana Mahakuda on Wednesday demanded that the State Government ask mining companies to employ human labour, instead of machines, in activities of railway siding, mining and truck loading so that they can get jobs.
“The local people have been deprived of jobs as mining companies are using machines in raising and transportation of minerals while, as per the MOUs, they ought to employ locals on basis of their skills,” argued Mahakuda.
He demanded that the Government should ensure that the MoU norms be implemented by the companies concerned.
last month, Mahakuda recently met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and drew the attention of the illegal activities of the mining and transportation companies engaged in mineral bearing Keonjhar District.
In a recent letter too, he apprised the CM that people in Keonjhar had earlier earned their livelihood by cattle rearing, farming and collection of forest products from the land leased out to mining companies. Now, traditional source of income has gone out from their hands and they are forced to depend totally on labouring at mining and transportation sites.
From the year 2000, 80 per cent of mining and transportation companies have been using machineries replacing the manual labour. Due to this thousands of tribal and local people have lost their job, he pointed out.
“Though displaced people of Keonjhar have put forth this problem before the district as well as the State administration, but to no avail,” Mahakuda said in the letter.
Mahakud further stated that though he had raised this issue several times in the State Assembly and the Government assured to implement the MOU guidelines strictly, yet the assurance remains ineffective.
Stating that people have lost faith in the Government, the MlA requested Chief Minister to personally look into the matter and take necessary in this regard.