PARADIP: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) activists on Thursday staged a dharna in front of Paradip Refinery, IOCL here demanding permanent jobs for land losers and displaced families.
Hundreds of BJD workers and local leaders led by MP Kulamani Samal alleged step-motherly treatment of the Central Government’s towards those who had given up their land for IOCL’s refinery project. Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena, Women and Child Welfare Minister Prafulla Samal, Balikuda-Erasama MLA Prasant Muduli and other BJD leaders spoke on the occasion.
Sources said nearly 1,752 families of 17 villages under Kujang tehsil had handed over 3,300 hectares of private land to Paradip Refinery of IOCL. It is alleged that they are yet to get permanent jobs and other benefits from IOCL.
IOCL sources said there is no provision of permanent jobs to land losers in Paradip Refinery of IOCL as they have been compensated for their loss. Only displaced families are eligible for jobs and other benefits. Since it is impossible to provide permanent jobs to 1,752 families, IOCL has decided to sponsor the names of 100 candidates belonging to families of land losers at CIPET, Bhubaneswar for skill development and training. Another 50 candidates belonging to land losers’ families will be engaged in the poly-propylene plant of IOCL on contractual basis.