Paradip, July 7: After a weeklong disruption, the project work for the Indian Oil refinery project resumed today, putting an end to simmering labour unrest.

The project is being set up by the public sector Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) near this port town.

“Normality has been restored at the project site. Work began in the early hours today with contractual labourers and workers on permanent payroll, besides officials of the oil company, joining work,” said Indian Oil Corporation’s deputy manager (corporate communications) Sangram Mishra.

Heavy vehicles carrying construction material and cargoes to the project site had been left stranded following the strike. The material transportation is slowly picking up pace with the strike being called off.

Of the 35,000 labourers engaged in the project work, two-thirds resumed work today. The rest of them had left for their homes in the country’s northern parts after violence flared up. The company is expecting them to arrive in a week’s time to report to work, said company officials.

The stalemate ended yesterday following tripartite talks initiated by the Jagatsinghpur district administration.

District authorities had called IOCL and the striking labour unions to a tripartite meeting to sort out the simmering labour dispute.

“With the consent of IOCL officials, demands of workers, such as compensation to the injured, transfer of CISF officials responsible for the firing on July 2 and a high-level probe were met. To address some of the other demands, a core committee comprising of administrative officials, IOCL functionaries and trade union representatives has been constituted. On July 10, the committee will look into pending demands such as issuance of permanent gate permits and passes to workers,” said Jagatsinghpur collector Narayan Chandra Jena.

Commenting on the decision to transfer the CISF personnel who had opened fire at the labourers, CISF assistant commandant S.S. Mohanty said: “The incident is now subject to a departmental inquiry as it is an internal matter of the CISF.”

In a related development, Paradip MLA and BJD vice-president Damodar Rout has sought chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s intervention for a permanent end to recurring lawlessness and labour unrest at the project site.

“The settlement arrived at yesterday is temporary in nature. The administration did not delve deep into the problems that are being encountered by the central public sector unit. As trade unions are patronising criminals, further disturbances cannot be ruled out,” said Rout.