ROURKELA: Retrenched officers of Adhunik Metaliks Ltd (AML) plant at Kuanrmunda on Friday met Sundargarh collector Parag Harshad Gavali seeking the administration’s intervention in the restoration of their jobs and resumption of normal production.
Members of the AML staff and officers’ association (AMLSOA) have been staging a dharna in front of the closed plant gate after 79 officers were terminated from service on December 27.
Despite its takeover by UK-based conglomerate Liberty House Group, the AML plant at Kuanrmunda is yet to start normal operation. The AML plant was permanently closed in August 2017 on the ground of bankruptcy.
After the closure issue reached the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), Kolkata, Liberty House Group owned by Sanjeev Gupta acquired the plant via an insolvency process at an offer value of Rs 410 crore. An agreement to this effect was signed in June 2020 with a fine of Rs 10 crore.
The new management partially resumed production in November 2020 with the operation of only two of the nine DRI kilns and the power plant. However, the production stopped after 100 days. Working president of AMLSOA Chitta Patra said on December 27 evening, 79 of the total 278 officers were served termination letters through e-mail.
The remaining 199 officers and 508 workers are now apprehensive of being retrenched in the coming days with the new management showing no intention to run the plant. Against the resolution of the NCLAT, the Liberty House is yet to pay the employees their salaries of 21 months, he claimed.
AMLSOA advisor and Birmitrapur municipality chairman Sandeep Mishra urged the state government to intervene in the matter and ensure the normal functioning of the AML plant.