The Tata Company on Thursday landed in a fresh controversy as it is reportedly ignoring local youths in providing jobs in its six-million-tonne-per-annum integrated steel plant at Kalinganagar in Jajpur district.
Exposing the company’s alleged illegal activities at a Press conference here, Kalinga Sena supremo Hemant Rath said, “Earlier, the Tata Company had said that nearly 20,000 people would be recruited directly and indirectly for its six-million-tonne-per-annum integrated steel plant out of which 70 per cent local youths would be recruited. But the issue is that though the company has already started the recruitment process, only 10 local youths have been appointed so far.”
Rath alleged that one Charudutta Despande, an employee at the Kalinganagar project and a journalist, was forced to commit suicide as he exposed the company’s “anti-Odia” policies.
“At least 13 poor tribals were killed with police bullet while opposing the company’s project in 2006. But the company, instead of appointing local youths, hired the services of non-residents for its project, which is highly regrettable,” said Rath.
“We have urged the State Assembly Deputy Speaker Sananda Marandi, who is also the Chairman of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) Committee of the Assembly and is scheduled to visit the Tatas’ Kalinganagar project shortly, to take stock of the situation and take necessary steps in this regard,” said Rath.
When contacted, Jajpur district Collector Anil Samal said, “I had already held a meeting with the company’s Kalinganagar project vice-president regarding recruitment of local youths on Wednesday. The company authorities informed that appointments have been made at the senior levels and nearly 600 local youths would be recruited soon.”