Chakan industrialists complain about harassment by contractors

Pune: A significant number of industrialists in Chakan MIDC area have expressed concern over contractors pressurising them to gain contracts for supplying labour and collect scrap.
As many as 100 representatives from various companies, including well-known automobile firms, tabled the issues affecting them at a special ‘Industrial-police meeting’, which was held in Chakan recently. The meeting was chaired by special inspector general Vishwas Nangre-Patil, Kolhapur range, along with senior police officers of rural police.

Dilip Batwal, secretary, Federation of Chakan Industries (FCI), on Saturday told TOI: “These contractors have been harassing many companies in the past two years. They are affiliated to political parties. In fact, some of them are relatives of politicians, which makes it difficult to turn down their demands and go against them.”

Federation sources said if the contractors fail to get contracts in a particular company, they create unrest in that company. “The contractors have established a network with low-profile employees in the companies. Therefore, it is quite easy for them to create unrest through the workers’ union in the companies. To avoid this situation, many of companies fall prey to their pressure,” the sources added.

More than 100 contractors are currently operating in the MIDC area. A senior official from FCI said, “Police officials are aware about the menace, but they too have failed to take action against them due to political interference. Therefore, industries prefer to settle the issue at their level only. Some of the companies had even tried to take up the matter with senior police officials but in vain.”

Meanwhile, police inspector Manoj Yadav of Chakan police station said they always give preference to such complaints. “We don’t get too many complaints regarding this issue, but whenever we have had a specific complaint, we have taken action,” he added.

“We have been urging companies to come forward and register complaints against such contractors. However, many companies prefer to mention issues personally rather than give official complaints. Hence, it becomes difficult for us to take preventing action against them. Several companies’ management had been ignoring the issue and, therefore, they are facing problems now,” said a senior officer of the crime branch of the Pune rural police.