Nalco oustees demand employment

ANGUL: The land oustees of Nalco project have been sitting on dharna in front of the Collectorate for the last 19 days demanding permanent jobs against their lands. At least 200 affected persons, who had lost their lands for the plant, threatened to disrupt water and coal supply to Nalco plant, if their demand for permanent job is  not met.

“We decided to launch protest after tripartite talks held by district administration to resolve the matter failed on Friday,” said general secretary of Nalco Least Affected Persons (LAP) Praja Sangh Sasanka Sekhar Samal. The Praja Sangh has members from Talcher and Angul.

According to Samal, about 200 land oustees were sent for ITI training in two batches in 2006 and 2007 by Nalco  with an undertaking that they will not demand job in Nalco after training. Samal said the youths were given contractual jobs in 2017.

“We want regular jobs in Nalco as the company had recruited 500 LAPs on permanent basis earlier. There are more than 700 vacancies in two Nalco plants here. Nalco is filling up its vacancies here by bringing manpower from its Damanjodi unit,” he said.