The Kumaun Garhwal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) has alleged that students union representatives of a Government college in Kashipur are extorting money from industrial enterprises. The KGCCI has also alleged that the industrialists, who are not paying the student union representatives as demanded, are also receiving threats.
In a statement issued to the media, the senior vice president of the KGCCI, Anurag Agrawal said that student union leaders are visiting industrial enterprises and indulging in extortion.
He states, “Not just this, the student union leaders recently crossed their limits recently when they made
the workers of an industrial enterprise in Mahuakhedaganj, Kashipur, to vacate the industrial unit compound. These student union leaders also threatened the industrial unit’s management officials with violence. This has made the industrialists and workers in the region seriously concerned about their safety. Such type of actions being taken by the student union representatives is not in accordance with the law. They have no right to conduct extortion from the industrial enterprises. The local industrialists have expressed dissatisfaction strongly at the recent incident,” said Agrawal.
The KGCCI senior vice president further said that the industrialists have informed the Paiga police post and Kashipur police station in charge about the extortion from industrialists and the threatening actions of the students union representatives at the Mahuakhedaganj industrial unit.
The police have also been informed that the situation could escalate into a major problem if the police fail to take effective measures for stopping the extortion and other unlawful activities of student union representatives, added Agrawal.
It is pertinent to mention here that apart from regular power supply, a safe environment for doing business is one of the claims made by the State Government to attract investments in the industrial sector of Uttarakhand.
Though there has been some progress in the industrial sector in Uttarakhand, observers point out that frequently disrupted or inadequate supply of electricity is affecting industries though the law and order situation has not deteriorated to a dangerous level.
However, there is need for stringent action to prevent anti-social trends from escalating into criminal aspects of this region, warn the observers.
They also add that the industrial enterprises too need to ensure strict implementation of environmental regulations especially in the industrial enterprises notorious for flouting environmental laws and causing considerable pollution.