Jajpur: Industrialisation was promised to create employment opportunities and improve the economic condition of local residents through permanent jobs. Trusting these assurances, residents of Kalin ganagar in Jajpur district welcomed several cement plants after the establishment of steel industries.
However, JSW Cement has allegedly failed to provide jobs to local people, with workers from outside Odisha reportedly being preferred even for daily-wage jobs through temporary contractors. The JSW Cement plant has allegedly been established on 15 acres of land originally allotted to Jindal Stainless Steel, bypassing land acquisition norms and rules.
The transfer has reportedly deprived affected landowners and their families of the opportunity to seek further legal claims related to the land. The arrangement has also raised questions about the implementation of local employment provisions. Most officers and employees inside the cement plant are reportedly from outside the state, according to allegations raised by local residents.
As a result, the commitments made by JSW during a public hearing at the Danagadi Bhavan May 3, 2017, have allegedly remained unfulfilled. Neither the district administration nor social organisations or political parties have shown interest in finding and disclosing the number of local residents employed at the plant, the report said.
The establishment of JSW Cement on land allotted to Jindal Stainless Steel has also triggered allegations that the arrangement is intended to avoid trade union activity and prevent workers from organising to protect their interests.
Workers from other states are allegedly being employed in preference to local residents, leaving land-losers and affected families deprived of the promised employment benefits. The project, with an annual production capacity of 1.2 million tonnes, has an estimated cost of Rs 318 crore. It produces Portland pozzolana cement (PPC), Portland slag cement (PSC) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS).
At a public hearing, the company had estimated Rs 16.5 crore for environmental management and Rs 20.05 crore for peripheral development. It had also promised to employ 75 people during construction and 185 after the project became operational. However, the company management has allegedly failed to fulfil these commitments.
As the two factories operate under different names on land allotted by IDCO, residents have accused both companies of misleading the local community over employment opportunities. Odia-speaking employees and local contractors are allegedly being subjected to mental harassment. Their pending bills are delayed on various pretexts, while vouchers submitted by non-Odia employees are reportedly cleared within a day.
Allegations of widespread bribery have also surfaced at the major industrial unit. Recently, the company’s vigilance department conducted a raid and dismissed two employees. The head of the vigilance department was also removed for allegedly helping employees accused of corruption.
Despite these actions, some officials are reportedly continuing the irregularities. Attempts were made to contact JSW’s human resources officer, Partha Khuntia, for his response, but he did not answer the phone.
