Villagers want jobs despite being not qualified:JK Lakshmi

JK Lakshmi Cement, whose under-construction factory in Durg was recently set on fire by locals for not providing them employment, today said the villagers were seeking jobs at the proposed plant without having suitable qualification.
Hundreds of local villagers had set on fire a portion of the under-construction factory of the company in Durg on March 4, angered by the company's reported reluctance to give jobs to the project-affected persons.
The company officials also said the question of permanent jobs, as demanded by many, would arise only when the factory is ready for commissioning.
"The local villagers of Malpuri Khurd were agitating for sometime seeking permanent jobs at the proposed plant even though their not having suitable qualification or experience," Shailendra Chouksey, Whole Time Director of the company, told reporters today.

He said "the question of permanent jobs would arise only when the factory is ready for commissioning and would also depend on the eligibility and needed-skill set of the required workforce".
Asked about the loss in the incident, he said "it would take some time to assess the extent of the loss".

He said villagers have been leading protests for almost two months despite assurance of skilled-based jobs to suitable individuals of the village.
"The villagers had gone to the extent of capturing a significant portion of the plant area. We were trying to convince them through dialogue but we probably failed to gauge the extent they could go to", he said.

When a comment was sought over alleged Naxal link with the incident, he said he could not say anything on it. But he said the company was going ahead with the green-field project that would call for an investment of Rs 1,200 crore.