Khordha: Contractual electricity workers staged a massive protest in Khordha Monday, raising the slogan ‘Tata Hatao, Odisha Bachao’ (Remove Tata, Save Odisha) against the alleged retrenchment of employees working across 18 sections under the Khordha Electricity Division.
The protesters took out a large procession, performing Danda Pranam and ringing bells to express their resentment. They marched to draw the Chief Minister’s attention to their grievances and demand immediate intervention.
According to the protesters, the Chief Minister had assured them around four months ago that no contractual employees working under Tata Power would be retrenched. However, they alleged that hundreds of workers were removed from their jobs in October, putting the livelihoods of several families at risk.
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They further claimed that if Odisha’s youth and workers were denied employment opportunities within the state, they would be forced to migrate to other states in search of work. They urged the state government to intervene immediately to prevent such a situation.
Apart from the layoffs, the protesters accused Tata Power of imposing an additional financial burden on electricity consumers.
They claimed that replacing a service wire, which was earlier provided free of cost, now costs Rs 1,128, with consumers also required to purchase the wire themselves.
The protesters also alleged that consumers were being pressured to install smart meters and were being exploited.
Questioning the state government’s silence, the agitators asked why an administration that advocates the protection of Odia Asmita had failed to address the livelihood concerns of contractual workers and the problems faced by electricity consumers.
They demanded immediate government action to stop retrenchment, safeguard workers’ livelihoods and resolve issues affecting electricity consumers.
On Sunday, around 450 contractual electricity workers from Dhenkanal district began a protest march to Bhubaneswar, demanding the reinstatement of retrenched employees, regularisation of jobs, equal pay for equal work and the removal of Tata Power from Odisha.