Angul: Authorities Friday reportedly tried to disrupt a prolonged protest staged by the displaced villagers demanding permanent jobs and opposing the halt on general recruitment at NALCO in Angul district.
The administration demolished a temporary shed erected by the protesters, sparking tension in front of the district collector’s office.
According to reports, members of the ‘Khyatigrasta Praja Sangha’ (association of affected villagers) had been demonstrating near the left gate of the Angul Collector’s Office for the past 283 days.
They had built a temporary shed to continue their protest, but officials pulled it down without any prior notice.
Additional Tehsildar Prasant Singh, Sadar RI Sachindra Machindra Sahu, and several other officials arrived at the site and oversaw the demolition.
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Leaders of the Khyatigrasta Praja Sangha, including its president Dibyaranjan Das, secretary Sashank Sekhar Samal, and members Dhananjay Behera and Jayanta Naik, strongly opposed the move, leading to a heated situation on the spot.
Police patrol teams soon arrived to pacify the crowd, but tension prevailed for some time.
When contacted, Additional Tehsildar Singh said the shed had posed safety risks and resulted in several minor accidents.
“We acted on the directions of the Collector and the Sub-Collector,” he said.
Meanwhile, the protesters led by Dibyaranjan Das have warned that if the demolished shed is not rebuilt, the Khyatigrasta Praja Sangha will intensify its agitation.