The Anchalika Jana Adhikara and Suraksha Mancha demanded justice to retrenched employees of RIl synthetic plant of Dhenkanal district.
Notably, the poly fibre industry at Udapadar under Sadar Dhenkanal was established in the year 1984 in the name Orissa Synthetics ltd (OSl) by JK Corporation and thereafter the unit was taken over by Reliance Group with re-named as Orissa Poly Fibre ltd (OPl) and subsequently known as Reliance Industries limited (RIl). However, owing to constant loss, the RIl decided to shut down the plant and remove the machineries from Dhenkanal.
Mancha working president Benudhar Sahoo alleged corrupt practices and conspiracy for the closure of RIl by some persons along with the management of RIl and district administration of Dhenkanal. “The industry is lifting its materials from the place without giving the due payment to its workers. When we protest against it, the scrap mafias threaten us by taking name of former DGP Sanjeev Marik. This has been informed to the present DGP KB Singh but no action was taken till now,” he said.
We have been protesting against the impending shutdown as a large number of employees, many of whom have been working since 1985 on a contractual basis are not compensated. We demand full and final settlement of dues in respect of 1,250 workers, he said.
Sahoo informed that as part of their agitation, they will hold a hunger strike in front of Navin Nivas. “We have informed to the labour Minister and Commissioner about our plight,” he said.