ROURKELA: The management of Kuanrmunda-based Adhunik Metaliks Ltd (AML), which had stopped production for the last few days due to financial constraints, finally closed the plant on Thursday night.
Protesting the abrupt closure of the plant, the largest private steel industry in Sundargarh district, workers on Friday laid siege to the labour office at Rourkela and locked up the stand-in Deputy Labour Commissioner (DLC) RK Behera, Assistant Labour Commissioner Ghasiram Tudu and two District Labour Officers, Pranab Patra and Pranab Jena in their offices. The three officers were in their captivity as the stand-off continued till late into Friday night.
The workers are staging the dharna under the banner of CITU-affiliated Adhunik Metaliks Karmachari Sangh (AMKS). CITU national vice-president Bishnu Mohanty said closure of the plant is illegal. He demanded payment of salaries outstanding for four months and statutory dues.
Sources said about 4,000 direct and indirect workers have been rendered jobless with the closure of the plant.
The plant was struggling amid unfavourable conditions, including high cost of iron ore and prolonged industrial recession.
Earlier in the day, they submitted a memorandum to the stand-in Deputy Labour Commissioner demanding immediate reopening of the plant.