Paradip, Jan. 22: Tension prevailed at the Paradip oil refinery site today after the police detained a group of protesters who had obstructed labourers and company officials from entering the project site.
The project work which resumed yesterday, however, went on unhindered today despite the protest rally by a section of people belonging to trade unions and labourers’ outfits at the entry gate of the site.
The oil company officials had already reached a negotiated settlement with aggrieved labourers after the clash between labourers and security personnel belonging to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). In the clash on January 19, 25 persons had suffered injuries.
The death of a labourer under “mysterious” circumstances had sparked the violence.
“Today, 17 activists of the Nehru Sharmik Sangh, a local labour union outfit, were taken into preventive custody as they tried to stop workers from entering the project site. They were burning worn-out tyres. As it was an unlawful act, police arrested them,” said sub-divisional police officer, Paradip, Bhabani Shankar Mishra.
An official of the company said: “Normality has been restored at the project site. There was near full attendance at the site.”
The protesters were demanding disciplinary action against CISF jawans for the “unprovoked” attack, employment opportunity to local people, implementation of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy 2006, sanction of more funds for peripheral development of the villages near the project site, plantation programme to check environmental pollution and a revised rehabilitation package for displaced families.
Chief manager (administration), Paradip oil refinery project, Prasant Rout said today’s agitation failed to disrupt work. The protest has, however, been withdrawn following intervention by company and police officials.
There has been considerable delay in the commissioning of the Centre-run Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) mainly because of law and order problem. It is setting up a Rs 30,000-crore oil refinery project.
