The departing trains from Puri railway station are left with filth and dirt for a week now as the East Coast Railways’ contractual workers have been on strike from March 17 demanding their dues.
The contractor which engaged them on work allegedly did not pay their dues as agreed. According to Ranjan Kumar Badu, general secretary of the union of contractual workers, 233 workers were employed by Varsed Detective Securities Pvt ltd, a railway contractor, which has been assigned the job of cleaning all the trains terminating at Puri. Badu alleged that though the contractor was deducting EPF and ESI contribution from the employees, it did not deposit the same in their accounts. The contractor did not provide the workers their ID cards, pay slips, EPF and ESI contribution till date. long back, the contractor had agreed in writing to provide the workers with their legitimate work permits and other documents. However, the contractor is yet to comply with the agreement with the union, Badu alleged. The matter was intimated to the ECoR authorities regarding violation of the agreement, he said.