A dharna staged by IOCl land oustees under the banner of the Jamihara Krushak Ekta Manch here since April 25 last demanding employment has entered into the 6th day on Saturday.
Anti-Posco leader Abhaya Sahoo spearheading the movement was on Tuesday arrested along with his supporters and they all are now in jail. Many displaced villagers had launched an indefinite hunger strike in front of the office of the oil refinery on February 2 on the eve of the visit of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Paradip to inaugurate the IOCl plant. But they called off their strike after the officials assured them to provide job.
The Paradip IOCl refinery had acquired 3,300 hectares (ha) of land for its oil refinery project in 17 villages under Kujang tehsil of Jagatsinghpur district. About 1,752 families were affected by the project. At least Rs 49 crore was given to the families as compensation against the land acquired. However, they have also been demanding training for the unemployed youths and peripheral development. The agitators said they are determined to intensify the agitation.
ASP Madhab Charan Sahu said four platoons of police personnel have been deployed around the refinery to maintain law and order.
However, in a Press release, Paradip IOCl refinery management clarified that the compensation amount was deposited by the IOCl to the State Government towards land acquired by the latter. Since beginning of construction activities in 2009, all possible efforts were made by the IOCl for engagement of maximum of locals (displaced, land losers and other local unemployed youths) by providing adequate safeguards in the contracts. Around 60 per cent workers engaged in construction activities were locals including the displaced and the land losers. The land losers have also been engaged in various maintenance, housekeeping and support services inside and outside the refinery.
The IOCl has complied with the provisions of the R&R Policy 2002 for resettlement and rehabilitation of project displaced persons. The policy does not cover the land losers. Further, the IOCl management relaxed educational qualification and experience in selection of Junior Engineering Assistants in 2014 and 2015, with a view to provide opportunities to local candidates of Odisha and have maximum local representation in regular categories of employees. Additionally, opportunities were provided to local candidates having Diploma qualifications in Chemical, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering as well as ITI (Fitter) qualification without experience for engagement as apprentices under Apprentices Act.
Also the Paradip refinery sponsored 65 candidates belonging to displaced families for skill development in ITI Cuttack in 2005. last year, IOCl sponsored 30 candidates belonging to land loser families for skill development training on Plastics Processing Machine Operation at CIPET, Bhubaneswar.
Considering placement assurances for majority of the candidates, action is in hand for sponsoring another batch of 50 candidates belonging to land loser families at CIPET, Bhubaneswar.
While 80 per cent of the workforce engaged the PP project are locals, land losers were considered for engagement in the ongoing PP project jobs in the categories of rod fitter, carpenter, welder, mason and helper. The requirement of manpower in the PP project jobs will go up in future, providing further opportunities for engagement of land losers.
The IOCl refinery further added that it remains committed to development of Odisha and welfare of the local people. However, for smooth operation of the refinery and execution of ongoing project jobs, industrial harmony is of utmost importance.
Meanwhile, the IOCl management appealed to the agitators to withdraw their protest.