Workers union leader Debashisha Hota has alleged that he was misbehaved by the District labour Officer (DlO) and manager of a shopping mall at a meeting as he raised the issue of illegal retrenchment of two staffers of the mall.
Hota said that Gundicha Behera of laxmi Bazar and Bichitra Samal of Gajamara were working as security guards at the World Retails Private limited at Rathagada for over last 7 years. The management however sacked them on February 2 without any notice or citing the cause. The mall appointed two others in their place.
Behera and Samal were getting monthly wage of `5,400 without bonus and any other facilities. After losing their job, they and their family members are now on the brink of starvation.
Protesting their illegal termination from job, Hota had complained at the DlO on February 5 and thus a conciliation meeting was underway on February 11. The AlO present there checked the attendance registers of the mall and found that the Behera and Samal were working there daily for 12 hours. But, the mall manager cited various false and frivolous causes for their ouster from service. At this, Hota requested the AlO to cease the registers. Exactly, during this time the DlO rushed to the venue and started scolding Hota. Also The WORlD Mall manager misbehaved with Hota getting support of the DlO.
Hota later lodged a complaint with police and threatened to start an agitation if the issue was not settled amicably. Meanwhile, Hota has also apprehended threat to his life on the issue.