Tension prevailed as local tribals on Wednesday staged a protest before the Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys ltd (IMFA) plant at Therubali near here alleging failure by the plant authorities in fulfilling their legitimate demands.
The protestors locked the main gate in protest against the authorities’ failure in meeting their demands. They threatened to continue their stir indefinitely if their demands are not met. Due to the protest production in the plant was hampered.
The agitators accused the IMFA authorities of not taking any step towards fulfilling their demands pertaining to education, healthcare, lighting, drinking water facilities and other peripheral area development of the plant.
“The IMFA authorities assured us earlier to fulfill our demands within a month but 45 days have already passed and not even one of their demands has been met. We do not like the delay. The claim by plant authorities that the process has begun sounds hollow and we are not convinced with presenting of the status report to the Collector,” said leader of the agitators Jitu Jakasika.
However, the apparently defensive plant authorities said one of the demands of protestors was for providing an ambulance. It would be available in July. Besides, solar lights are being procured to be installed in the peripheral villages. But it would take some time to fulfil all the demands.
Earlier, an 18-day standoff was witnessed at the IMFA plant from April 23, 2018 after the locals resorted to a stir seeking fulfilment of a nine-point charter of demands. However, the stir was withdrawn on May 11 after a tripartite meeting between the district administration, plant authorities and protestors. During the meeting, the plant authorities had assured the protestors to fulfil their demands on a war footing.
Meanwhile, police forces have been deployed near the plant to prevent any untoward incident.