The contractors from outside Odisha, particularly South India, are dominating the ones in Odisha with helping hands from a particular South Indian officer. Hence, 50 000 contractors of the State and one crore daily labourers are the worst sufferers and struggle to meet both ends, said All Odisha Contractors’ Association president Pravat Dash in a meeting here.
“Not only contractors from South India are taking the major works of the State, they are also engaging labourers from for their States depriving Odia labourers of livelihood. This also leads to distress migration from the State,” Dash said further.
Association general secretary Bhagyadhar Dash narrated various problems they face in their day-to-day life. Starting from officers to public, everybody wants to harass them and force them to pay money on various pleas. “We are forced to work on 2014 schedule of rate. Hence, the quality of works could be well imagined,” he added.
Dash also said how they are forced to pay royalty on finished products in spite of their protest time and again. He highlighted 34 demands put before the State Government and urged to fulfil the demands since all are genuine and justified ones.
“If the Government doesn’t fulfil the demands, very soon we will go for a cease work and paralyse the entire construction works all over the State,” warned the association members.