PARADIP: A 50-year-old labourer, retrenched by IFFCO who had previously urged President of India, Droupadi Murmu , for euthanasia owing to his financial condition, has now sought the intervention of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for a job.
The labourer, Narayan Swain, was paralysed after suffering from brain stroke. A resident of Anantapur within Balikuda police limits, Narayan had earlier written a letter to the President of India pleading for euthanasia owing to his condition which he stated was caused due to his retrenchment by IFFCO, Paradip.
Following the plea, the President directed the state government to address the issue last year but in vain.
Sources said 151 workers were employed as regular labourers at Oswal Chemical and Fertiliser Ltd in Paradip under Provident Fund scheme. The workers were employed from 2000 to 2004 and terminated in three phases. In 2005, Oswal Company sold its factory to IFFCO.
The retrenched workers sought the intervention of the executive director of IFFCO for their re-engagement. Out of the 151 workers denied employment by Oswal, 101 resigned voluntarily, 18 continued to work at IFFCO and the rest were not considered for re-engagement. The deprived workers filed a writ petition in the Orissa High Court in 2009, which was dismissed. They then took the matter to the Supreme Court, where the matter remains sub-judice.
Local MLA and Industries Minister Sampad Swain on Wednesday called Narayan and asked him to come to Paradip to resolve the issues after discussions with IFFCO authorities.