Raghunathpur land losers seek WB Govt intervention

The land losers of Raghunathpur thermal power station of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) today sought West Bengal labour minister's intervention to resolve the impasse over employment in the power project.
"We want the minister's intervention as DVC is not fulfilling its promise to offer unskilled jobs in the plant. When DVC had acquired land in 2007, they had promised jobs but still there is no such move by the company despite the first unit is nearing completion," Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station land losers association president Chinmay Banerjee said.
"At the same time the company is engaging contract workers for the plant from neighbouring states like Bihar and Jharkhand," he said.

In a memorandum to the state labour minister, the association demanded permanent jobs for the family members of land losers.
Recently, the association had gheroed the DVC gates and stopped trial run of the first phase 660 MW plant demanding jobs for local residents.
However, after a meeting with the local administration and DVC officials, the blockade was lifted.
Land losers got Rs 2.2 lakh per acre as compensation and some 4,000 acres was acquired by the state-owned company.