Paradip, April 26: People displaced by the oil refinery project staged a road blockade here today seeking employment and a rehabilitation package.

The agitation stalled project work with company personnel and workers unable to enter the refinery complex. The protest has left both the administration and the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) officials in a spot of bother.

Jagatsinghpur collector B.K. Upadhyay said: "We have invited the protesters for a discussion to settle their grievances. The rehabilitation issue will be settled as the oil company officials have agreed to take up the matter on priority basis."

The project-affected people alleged that the IOCL had failed to rehabilitate them in accordance with the guidelines of the Rehabilitation and Relief Policy.

"We are not against the project. But, we are forced to stage this indefinite agitation because the authorities have failed to keep their promises. The IOCL officials had held a discussion with us in December last year, where they had assured us of providing employment to a member from each of the 143 displaced families. They had also pledged to construct dwelling units for us at the resettlement colony at Dhinkia. However, they are yet to give us job and houses," said the president of the IOCL Refinery Displaced Families' Association, Abhaya Sahu.

"We were displaced after the company acquired two acres that we had. But, I am still jobless and it is a struggle to arrange for food every day," said villager Sachitra Swain.

However, the IOCL authorities said they were strictly following the government's rehabilitation guidelines while engaging people for the project.

"The IOCL is being strictly guided by the Rehabilitation & Relief Policy that was approved by the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee on Dec 2, 2002," said executive director of Paradip oil refinery project Ramjee Ram.