Vedanta factory workers vandalize property in Orissa

KALAHANDI - Workers of Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL) smashed office equipments and vandalized property amid fears of losing their jobs, after the Union Environment Ministry rejected plans for the unit’s refinery’s expansion.

“There were around 200-300 workers from L and T (Larsen and Toubro Limited, to which VAL outsourced its work) who had some settlement. There was a discussion going on and when it was coming to a final stage, that time some people came from outside and sabotaged the office. They broke the windows, computers, furniture, servers. We are facing a loss of one crore in this process,” Mukesh Kumar, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL) said on Thursday.

Angry workers demanded an extra three months salary from the authorities after the closure of the refinery was announced, and after the discussion for the same, they broke windows, computers and office furniture.

“Some days back it was announced that the refinery is getting closed. We were supposed to get the salary of the August month and the workers demanded that they have been working for the past so many years and now where will they go and even it’s a rainy season and demanded some extra money. The workers demanded the extra salary for three months,” said Rajkishore Mahato, an employee.

The workers had staged a demonstration to demand the final settlement of their arrears including the three-month salaries.

The agitation turned violent and ten persons were injured in the stone throwing incidents that ensued. By Sarda Lehangir (ANI)