Shopping mall The World paid `30,000 retrenchment compensation each to security guards Gundicha Behera and Bichitra Samal in presence of Assistant labour Officer (AlO) Narendra Gaipai after intervention of trade union leader Debashisha Hota.
Behera of laxmi Bazar and Samal of Gajamara were working at The World Retails Private limited at Rathagada for last seven years. The management retrenched them on February 2 last and appointed another two persons in their place.
Hota took up their cause with the DlO. On February 16, more than 500 labourers under the banner of Dhenkanal Silpasamuha Khyatigrastha Shramik Sangha gheraoed the Dhenkanal DlO office. Also a memorandum was submitted in this context to the Chief Minister.
later, the World mall management gave written assurance in the DlO office to pay the compensation on May 6, but no official turned up on that day. As a result, the retrenched workmen gave notice for hunger strike. Subsequently, the management paid the compensation.