Newz Desk, Durgapur: 25th September 26: Tension prevailed outside a private steel plant near Indo-America More in Durgapur on Friday as local residents protested against the alleged exclusion of former workers from fresh employment at the reopened unit.
According to the protesters, around 130 workers had lost their jobs when Unit 1 of the rod manufacturing plant was shut down during the previous state government. The management had reportedly assured them that they would be taken back in phases once the unit resumed operations. The unit has since reopened, but the protesters alleged that many of the former workers are still unemployed while new workers, including outsiders, are being recruited. Residents of Khayrashol village gathered at the factory gate and blocked the entrance with their bicycles and motorcycles. Police reached the spot to control the situation.
BJP MLA from Durgapur East, Chandrashekhar Bandyopadhyay, joined the protesters and warned the management against ignoring local workers. He said, “There is no need to hurt workers’ livelihoods and then say Jai Shri Ram. The management must address the concerns of the local workers.”
Factory official Mrityunjay Chattopadhyay, however, denied the allegation of fresh recruitment of outsiders. He said that production was being affected due to the protest and urged the workers to hold discussions with the management instead of disrupting operations.
