Hundreds of people, including students, under the aegis of the Ganjam Vikash Parishad (GVP) led by BJP leader Rama Chandra Panda, Parishad secretary Durgamadhab Panigrahy and coordinator Surath Pahan staged a dharna at Ganjam on Wednesday to press for their longstanding demands which are yet to be met by the Aditya Chemicals, formerly known as the JCl.
Notably, GVP along with locals had staged similar dharnas many times in the past demanding four issues. They are jobs for local unemployed youths on a priority basis, review of all appointments made earlier in the JCl, giving construction and other works to local contractors and measures for controlling water and air pollution.
The Jayshree Chemicals limited (JCl), with Government permission, had transferred lease hold rights of 107.41 acres of land to the Aditya Birla Chemicals (India) ltd (ABCIl) in June this year. The ABCIl had last year acquired Chlor-alkali division of the JCl at `212 crore.
Notably, the JCl had been established in 1967 for which people of Ganjam Town and block had given lands on the hope that the company would provide them employment and look after their development. The company had then acquired over 200 acres of land.
The JCl had not given appropriate compensation for the land. It had also not given jobs to local youths as per its promise. And after the JCl started operations, crops in thousands of hectares of land were destroyed and thousands of local fishermen lost their livelihood as the chlorine gas polluted Rushikullya River water and air as well. It had triggered a massive protest in seventies and about 370 students had been arrested, informed agitators.
“The then JCl and the Aditya Chemicals now are same in their attitude towards locals. The present company has appointed several outsiders in a haste ignoring locals. Besides, it has not taken plantation activities to prevent pollution and has failed to illuminate the historic and heritage fort “Potagada” and ancient temple “Khandeswar” located in Ganjam,” they alleged.