The Rourkela Steel Plant came under severe criticism on Sunday as people from a cross section of the society came down heavily against RSP management for increasing the rent of house allotted to ‘non RSP’ category. The representatives of different political parties, trade unions, different socio cultural organizations, while addressing in a meeting criticized the policy and termed the same as arbitrary and unilateral.
According to sources, the RSP, as a part of its corporate social responsibility, allots houses to different categories like Government employees, Press, social organsiations, political parties, trade unions and public representatives etc. on monthly rent basis. The house rent was initially revised during the month of August 2016, by about 20 per cent of its existing price. Again, in February 2017, the RSP authority through another circular surprisingly increased the house rent by about five to six times, which sparked strong resentment among various quarters of the city. A demonstration was also staged under the leadership of Raghunathpalli MlA Subrat Tarai, which hit the town service department of RSP for about three hours, following which the RSP had put the circular on hold. Again, through another circular issued in the month of July, the RSP increased the rent of houses.
“Since, RSP has failed miserably in its responsibilities like smooth operation of the plant, checking corruption, the decision to enhance the house rent of the non RSP category is absolutely unjustified,” said senior BJD leader Ananda Mohanty. “Even today, the RSP has been favoring several organizations like Deepika Mahila Sanghati, Delhi Public School and DAV school etc. by giving them large infrastructure on monthly rent of Rs 1. How come they can charge such high rate to others,” questioned Mohanty. Speaking on the occasion, president of Rourkela Sramika Sangha Prasanta Behera said, the anti public approach of RSP management is not new and therefore the public of Rourkela should strongly oppose this initiative through a mass agitation. “The land belongs to State Government and therefore they have no right to increase the house rent without the permission of district administration,” said president of Rourkela Bar Association Ramesh Bal. “The district administration should intervene in the matter and immediately direct the RSP to stop these kinds of arbitrary initiatives of the RSP,” Bal added.
Unanimous resolutions were taken in the meeting that the circular notifying increase of house rent must be put on hold and a final call on this aspect should be taken only after discussion with district admin and public representatives of the locality.