Paradip: The week-long protest by people displaced following establishment the Iffco fertilizer plant paid dividends with the Paradip-based Co-operative fertilizer firm agreeing to engage them in contractual jobs.

The affected families had started an indefinite agitation from March 31 to press for their demand of employment to at least one member from each displaced family. The plant authorities had reportedly shied away from meeting their demand.

As a last resort, the agitating people, including women family members, sat on hunger strike, prompting the district administration to intervene. The issue was taken up the administration by holding talks the fertilizer plant management and an amicable settlement was made. The company management eventually consented to provide income avenues for the affected people, said Paradip additional district magistrate Subhash Nath Sharma.

"We had a patient hearing of the agitating people's grievances. Later, a discussion was held with the Iffco officials. We are happy to know that the company agreed to engage them in a phased manner," he said.

"The Oswal group had acquired 108 acres from us. The land losers were employed by the group. However, after Osawl sold the property to Iffco, we lost our jobs. The Iffco management did not honour our claims for employment in the refurbished fertilizer plant. So we had started the agitation. We have withdrawn the agitation as the company has committed to engage us," said Mihir Nayak, a protester.

"Iffco always lays emphasis on generating employment avenues for the affected landowners, besides people living in the peripheral areas of the project. Purely on humanitarian grounds, we are engaging the displaced family members on request by the district administration. They were bereft of their right to employment as the company had paid them Rs 19 lakh per acre of acquired land. Still, they are being engaged purely on contract in a phased manner. Of the 73 people, the company will engage seven people within a week. The rest will be absorbed depending on the requirement," said Iffco senior executive Prasanna Kumar Beura.