Tension prevailed after hundreds of agitating workers, who had been denied wages for a long period, were beaten up by the security in front of the main gate of the Monnet Power ltd at Angul on Friday.
Around five hundred workers, many of them seriously injured, fled from the spot apprehending more action against them from the vengeful company security force and police. Many of the workers hid themselves in forests and agriculture land. Scores of injured workers were also waiting at the railway station and bus stand in Angul headquarters town, 30 km from the plant site, without food and proper cloth, to flee home in order to escape the wrath of the police and company security forces.
Sources said hundreds of workers were denied payment of wages in last 3 to 4 months by UB Construction, a contract firm employed to construct a boiler of the Monnet Company. After repeated pleas with
Monnet’s chief operating officer B Mohapatra, the workers failed to get their just and legal dues. Without getting wages for a long period, many workers could not pay the credit for their daily ration and thus were living in miserable condition. This had forced the aggrieved workers at last to demonstrate in front of the plant gate.
However, the security force of the company mercilessly beat the workers. Some workers also retaliated and ransacked the securitym office. The company claimed that 25 persons were injured in the clash.
Police promptly arrested eight workers, while nobody from the security force and Monnet was arrested. State Women Congress secretary Shasmita Behera, Citizen Action Forum president R P Pattnaik and CITU chairman Pradeep Panda condemned the attack on the workers and demanded immediate arrest of the Monnet officials and security personnel.
When contacted, the Assistant labour Commissioner and District labour Officer of Angul feigned ignorance on the incident. All India general secretary of INTUC youth wing Nirmal Samal strongly condemned the labour exploitation by Monnet and demanded immediate arrest of Monnet officials responsible for the incident.
He demanded immediate removal of COO BD Mohapatra.