Locals end dharna at JSL plant

They were demanding better wages for employees and basic amenities for the displaced persons living in the rehabilitation colony for the last five years.
 
Being directed by the Jajpur collector, Kalinga Nagar Additional District Magistrate, Ranjit Keshari Mohanty, Assistant Labourer Commissioner, Hamid Khan and Kalinga Nagar police station inspector-in-charge, K.C.Mund had visited the dharna site and discussed the problems with the agitators and assured them to resolve the issues after a meeting between the district administration and the JSL authorities.

"I have convened a meeting among the agitators, the JSL management and the district administration to resolve the issues raised by the displaced villagers and the employees of JSL and hope the problems relating to salary hike and basic amenities will be solved amicably," said Dhiren Kumar Das, Jajpur collector.

The agitators have called off their dharna following my assurance that their demands would be looked into, he added.

It may be noted that four persons were injured in a clash between agitating villagers and security personnel of JSL while the former were trying to disrupt production of the plant at Kalinga Nagar on May 5. They were prevented by JSL security personnel and this led to the clash.

While three displaced villagers sustained injuries and were admitted to the government hospital, one of the guards was also injured. The company incurred a loss of about Rs 8 crore during the eight day long agitation by the displaced villagers and employees who had sealed the factory gate, company sources said.

A couple of days ago, JSL had faced a similar situation after the Sukinda Unemployed Technical Youths Association locked the factory gate and prevented entry of men and material into the factory premises demanding jobs in the plant.