Jajpur: A cement manufacturing firm having its plant at Kalinganagar in Jajpur district has fraudulently deprived the displaced land owners of various benefits, including employment, sources said Monday. When the plant was being set up, lucrative sops were promised to those who parted with their lands. Now only a handful of them has been employed as casual labourers with minimal wages.
Sources added that the officials and security personnel of the cement firm now do not even allow the displaced landowners or their family members to come near the premises of the factory. The firm now belongs to ‘Nuvoco’ who bought it from the Emami group. Authorities of the cement plant had earlier promised to supply clean drinking water and appoint local people on a priority basis. It had also vowed to provide, skill development training, control pollution in the area, organise health camps on a regular basis.
However, nothing has materialised so far. There are many families who have lost their lands and are suffering from an acute financial crunch due to a lack of employment. Among them are the families of Krupasindhu Jena, Santosh Jena, Mahendra Jena, and Premanand Jena. Their problems have compounded as the advisory committee on rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) has not conducted a single meeting in the last seven years, sources said. When the cement plant was being set up, Emami, sources alleged, had promised in writing to give employment and other benefits to the displaced landowners at a meeting held, December 20, 2016.
However, seven years have elapsed, yet nothing has materialised for the locals. Emami started operations in 2017 but then sold the plant to Nuvoco in 2021. Demanding employment and other benefits, the affected families have staged a number of demonstrations outside the plant, but in vain. Sources said that the plant management is trying to hoodwink the villagers, by promising sops. However, to date, nothing has been delivered. Demanding regularisation, pay hikes, and other benefits, the displaced employees staged an agitation in front of the plant gate, June 28 but their pleas have still not been addressed. This has created simmering tension in the Kalinganagar locality.
Locals said that industrialisation of the district or for that matter, the Kalingananagr area, has spelled doom for them. Sources said that hope of employment among the locals is slowly dying while people are becoming increasingly disillusioned over industrial development. ‘Nuvoco’ bought the cement plant at Dasmania under Mantira mouza of Danagadi tehsil in Jajpur district at an investment of Rs 401 crore and started production in 2021. Officials had said that approximately 500 people will be employed for the running of the plant and 58 of them will be permanent. It also promised one job each for the 50 displaced families. But to date, jobs haven’t been provided and locals alleged that the management of the firm, because of its close affinity to some influential political leaders is running the show with impunity.
When contacted, Kalinganagar ADM Santosh Kumar Mishra said additional compensation has been given to those who have lost their land for the establishment of the plant. He, however, asserted that not a single family has been displaced for the cement plant. Mishra also said that if promises have not been kept, he would take steps to ensure it.
