PARADIP: Call it pure coincidence or people’s belief, a major fire broke out in IFFCO plant hours after womenfolk of the families of agitating retrenched contract labourers performed a “puja” in protest near the company’s main gate here on Tuesday.
Property worth crores of rupees are believed to have been destroyed in the fire which extensively damaged the turbine generator on the plant premises.
Assistant Director of Factory and Boilers department, Chandrakant Dalai said leakage of oil, used to cool the turbine’s bearings, led to the fire mishap. The flames were spotted at around 11.15 am during maintenance work. Firefighters managed to douse the blaze within half an hour. “We will conduct an inquiry to ascertain the actual cause of fire and worth of property destroyed in the mishap,” Dalai said.
No injury or casualty was reported in the fire. Besides, the mishap did not affect the company’s production as IFFCO has another captive power plant of its own. Local trade union leaders, however, alleged that lack of proper maintenance and safety measures led to the fire.
Earlier in the day, women members of families of retrenched contract labourers had performed ‘Mangalbar Puja’ in front of IFFCO main gate protesting non-fulfilment of their demands. For the last seven days, retrenched contract labourers are staging dharna near the office demanding their reinstatement. The agitators alleged that the company authorities have been harassing the contract workers since the last 20 years and are yet to provide employment to them.
As per reports, many families of Santra and Chakradharpur of Jagatsinghpur district and Chanda of Kendrapara had parted with their land for setting up Oswal company in 1998. As many as 73 youths of these families were provided jobs in the company. However, Oswal sold its factory to IFFCO in 2005 after incurring heavy losses. Following the sale, IFFCO retrenched the 73 youths.
Though the youths have approached the authorities concerned several times in the past and even staged protests, they are yet to get their jobs back. Without jobs, the family members said they are facing serious financial constraint and living in pathetic conditions. Later in the day, officials of the district administration tried to pacify the agitators but the workers refused to budge from their stand and threatened to intensify protests if they are not reinstated soon.