Protesters still on chimney despite appeal from minister

Chandrapur: Despite appeal from state energy minister Nitin Raut to project affected people (PAP) of Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station (CSTPS), protesters who are atop a 275-metre tall chimney of the power station for last three days refused to climb down and end their agitation on Friday.
Raut, in a meeting held with Chandrapur guardian minister Vijay Wadettiwar, MP Balu Dhanorkar, MLAs Pratibha Dhanorkar, Kishor Jorgewar and Mahagenco officials, called upon the agitators to scale down and discuss the issue without putting the administration in a spot of bother in the time of Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Mahagenco officials, the appeals from the minister, Wadettiwar, Dhanorkar and the two MLAs fell on deaf ears.
Seven PAPs including two women, who are working as trainees at CSTPS for nearly a decade, had scaled the tallest chimney of unit no. 8 and 9 on Wednesday to press their demand for regularization in job. They are being paid a nominal stipend while many of them have crossed the age limit to become eligible for permanent jobs. There are in all 652 such PAPs in CSTPS.
The protesters claimed that the people’s representatives and Mahagenco officials have said there will be no talks unless they scale down the chimney.
The protesters atop the chimney are facing shortage of food supply and water, yet continuing with their agitation braving the rains.