JAJPUR: Staring at an uncertain future due to shortage of raw materials, fly ash brick manufacturers of the district have announced to launch an agitation from January 5, if the administration fails to address their problems. Jajpur Fly Ash Owners’ Association on Friday said all the 72 units in the district are facing closure due to dwindling supply of raw materials from Kalinga Nagar-based Jindal Stainless Limited (JSL) for the last several months.
On the day, association members met Jajpur Collector Ranjan Das and apprised him of the situation. If the situation does not improve within a week, we will stage dharna in front of the JSL plant in Kalinga Nagar Industrial Complex from January 5,” association secretary Manoj Kumar Rout said.
Addressing mediapersons at Jajpur Road, association members said the State Government had encouraged unemployed youths to set up fly ash bricks units for generating jobs and becoming self-reliant. Under this Government policy, banks also provided loan assistance to young entrepreneurs. As a result, 72 fly ash bricks manufacturing units were set up across the district.
The Government had also fixed guidelines on provision of raw materials to the fly ash brick manufacturing units. “Initially, JSL supplied the required quantity of raw materials free of cost and our business took off. However, JSL authorities have now cut down our supply and clandestinely providing the materials to fly ash units operating outside the district,” alleged Rout.
Besides, shortage of raw materials has cast a cloud over the fate of around 2,000 workers employed in the units. “The workers are now getting only 8-10 mandays in a month while the owners are incurring huge losses and unable to repay the bank loans,” he said.
If JSL authorities continue to deprive raw materials to the manufacturers, the fly ash brick units will be forced to shut shop in near future. “While we are bearing the brunt of pollution from JSL plant, the authorities are supplying fly ash to outside manufacturers instead of local units. If this attitude of JSL continues, we will take to the streets,” Rout warned.
Earlier, the association had brought the matter to the notice of Kalinga Nagar ADM Santosh Kumar Mishra and sought his intervention in this regard. The ADM had even shot off a letter to JSL asking it to supply fly ash to Jajpur manufacturers on a priority basis. However, the company authorities are yet to pay any heed to the directive, he alleged.