Jajpur, Feb. 9: Production at the Mesco steel plant in Kalinga Nagar industrial complex was hit today as agitated contractual workers, along with local residents, locked both the factory gates.

They were demanding compensation and employment for family members of a contractual worker, who had died in a mishap yesterday.

The agitation was supported by the Kalinga Nagar Ispat Sramik Sangha and the Kalinga Nagar Mazdoor Union.

The worker had died and four others fell sick after they inhaled poisonous gas that leaked from one of the blast furnaces yesterday afternoon.

“The contractual worker died because of the gross negligence by the plant management as well as the contractor. Hence, the family of the deceased should get at least Rs 10 lakh as compensation and a permanent job in the plant,” said Akshaya Sahu, president of Kalinga Nagar Mazdoor Union.

The production of the plant came to a grinding halt as the agitating workers went on a cease work.

However, the stir was called off in the afternoon after the plant management agreed to give Rs 5 lakh as compensation and a job to a family member of the deceased. The management also agreed to give Rs 30,000 for funeral expenses, said inspector-in-charge of Kalinga Nagar police station K.C. Mund.

Deputy director of factories and boilers Kamalendu Mohapatra said investigation was on to ascertain the cause of yesterday’s mishap.