JEYPORE: Hundreds of outsourced employees of the Tata Power Southern Odisha Distribution Limited (TPSODL) staged protest in front of the superintending engineer’s office at Power House square here on Monday, pressing for a nine-point charter of demands.
The contractual employees, engaged in Jeypore, Koraput, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri divisions, alleged that around 70 workers had recently been served retrenchment notices following a change in the outsourcing agency. They also alleged delays in payment of monthly wages.
Their major demands included withdrawal of retrenchment notices, regular payment of wages, deployment of at least two employees at control rooms and substations, and investigation into electrical accidents allegedly caused by lapses in duty arrangements. They also demanded that workers engaged as unskilled personnel be upgraded to skilled positions.
The agitators sought monthly vehicle fuel allowance of Rs 3,500 for those working in rural pockets and Rs 3,000 for urban areas. They demanded special allowance for employees who have completed five years of service under outsourcing agencies, and a monthly technical allowance of Rs 3,000 for workers engaged in high-voltage operations.
Later, BJD leader and former minister Rabinarayan Nanda visited the protest site and extended support to the employees. He urged TPSODL authorities to take immediate steps to resolve the grievances.
In the evening, TPSODL officials held discussions with the employees. The authorities assured them that no employee would be removed from service and workers would instead be transferred to vacant positions. They also agreed to ensure deployment of two employees in control rooms and power supply operations. Following the assurances, the agitation was called off.
