Jamshedpur, July 4: The residents of Musaboni township in Ghatshila subdivision of the district today observed a dawn-to-dusk bandh in protest against the state government?s dilly dallying attitude in deciding the fate of those families residing in the Indian Copper Complex (ICC) quarters of that township.

The bandh call was jointly given by Musaboni Awas Baccho Sangarsh Samity and Tamra Nagri Sangarsh Samity ? the outfits spearheading the movement to prevent eviction of occupants of the ICC quarters.

All business and commercial establishments and educational institutions were closed. Buses and auto-rickshaws were off the road.

In the evening, the residents took out a torchlight procession raising anti-government slogans.

Last month, the state government had reached an agreement with the Union mines ministry and management of Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) where the former decided to take over 2,300 quarters of ICC in Musaboni.

The cash-strapped HCL management could not pay the dues of about Rs 60 crore and offered the state government to take over the ICC quarters at Musaboni to settle the amount. The company had already closed down its copper mines and its employees residing in the company quarters were given voluntary retirement scheme.

?We are not against the government?s decision to acquire the ICC quarters. But about 1,200 families who are still staying here? How can we allow the government to take possession of the quarters without deciding about those staying in the quarters,? said a senior member of the Tamra Nagri Sangarsh Samity and a local Ajsu leader, Kanhu Samant.

What has pressed the panic buttons is that the state government has already appointed a receiver to take possession of the quarters.The receiver is currently undertaking a survey to ascertain the exact number of families staying in the company quarters.

?We?ve also come to know that the state government is in the process of establishing an office in Musaboni to hasten up the process of acquiring the company quarters,? the protesters said.

Sunil Mahto, the Jamshedpur JMM parliamentarian, met deputy commissioner Nitin Madan Kulkarni this morning along with other JMM workers of Ghatshila subdivision over the issue.

?I?ve told the district administration that the state government must first rehabilitate the families residing in company quarters and then acquire it. Or else there would be resistance from all quarters,? Mahto said.

Despite protests, the state home department officials reiterated that all occupants of the quarters would be evicted after serving them notice.

?They are residing there illegally as they are no longer attached to the company. Moreover, the state government has bought the assets from the company for a definite purpose. We cannot allow the occupants to stay in the quarters under any circumstances,? a senior functionary of the state home ministry said.