The Statesman - No Employment at Kalinga Nagar

The Statesman
Stir for jobs from Visa Steel

JAJPUR, Dec. 11: Hundreds of members of Vyas Unemployed Youth Organisation (VUYO), a forum formed for the interest of the local unemployed technical youths, staged an agitation in front of Visa Steel officers’ guesthouse today. It is located in Vyas Nagar, the gateway to the steel hub of India in Orissa’s Jajpur district.
The youths demanding jobs. The agitators, led by its president, Mr Bidyadhar Mohanty, locked up the guesthouse and prevented the exit and entry of Visa officials. Tension prevailed when security personnel of the steel company forcefully tried to drive the agitators out, and the latter in turn attacked them. After being informed, police reached at the spot and chased away the agitators.
Altogether 25 agitators were arrested and later released on bail. They were protesting against the engagement of non-Oriya people in the plant, located in the Kalinga Nagar by the Visa management.
The unemployed youths claimed that the steel plant has been utilising their area’s land and water and polluting the nearby villages around it. Hence the steel company should give priority to local candidates during appointments.
“After the Kalinga Nagar police firing in which at least 14 people were killed in police firing, while they were opposing land acquisition by Tata Steel plant on 2 January 2006, we were assured of being absorbed in the plants by the then Jajpur collector, Mr Arabinda Padhee.
Accordingly a directive was issued to the all the steel plants to engage local people first. But the Visa management is engaging non-oriya people,” said Mr Pradeep Samal, secretary of the VUYO.
“As per as advertisement, 39 technical youths had gone through the interview, both written and viva, on 13 May, 2006. We are educated and possess technical, engineering, and industrial training certificates, as advertised by the company about two years ago. But the authorities are yet to declare the result,” said Kailash Das, an engineering graduate.
He alleged that while aspirants are waiting for results, the company authorities, in the meantime, have appointed some non-Oriyas and outsiders. “During a bilateral agreement, it was decided that the steel company will engage local people in its plant on priority basis. But none is caring for the agreement and appointing the people as per as their wish,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, two FIRs have been lodged with the Jajpur Road police from both the groups. While the security officer of Visa Steel Mr AK Pati alleged that the agitators held them in confinement, Kailas Das, a member of the association alleged the company authorities threatened them of dire consequences for the agitation.
When contacted, AK Agarwal, vice-president (commerce) of Visa Steel however denied to comment on this matter. SNS