SACKED WORKERS ACCUSE DEVELOPERS OF VIOLATING AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH STATE GOVT
GANGTOK, 04 Dec: Hydel projects continue to hog the news and not for very good reasons. This time it is Gati Infrastructures which has undertaken the 99 MW Chujachenhydel project in East Sikkim whose employees are alleging that they are being arbitrarily terminated from employment in the company.
Some of the employees who lost their jobs, while talking to NOW!, disclosed that the local employees who have been working with the company are being retrenched in phases. This, they claim, is being done in violation of the agreement with the State government and the assurances given by the company to them. In fact, it is alleged by them that not only are the local employees being discharged but even those who have parted with their lands for the project are being laid off. This, they say, is a betrayal of the trust they have put in the company as well as in the government.
Of the around 123 local employees engaged with the company, 71 have been let off and it is expected that more will be let off as new lists are drawn. The first list of employees to be discharged was released on 21 November; the second list of employees to be retrenched was released by the company on 29 November, it is informed.
The total number of employees to be terminated in both the lists is 71 and as claimed by the terminated employees, there is to be yet another list in the coming days.
“The employees who have been terminated include drivers, office boys, labourers, casual workers, cooks etc. Some of them have also given land to the company for the project. This is in total violation of the agreement and the assurances given to us; as it is we have not been provided with any benefits nor has the company even given us appointment letters,” alleged one of the terminated workers who had been engaged as a driver. The lot of terminated workers informed that they would approach the concerned department as well as the Chief Minister with their grievances.
The workers are feeling a tremendous sense of having been let down.
“Some of us have been working with the company for the past 8 to 9 years; we had been promised that the project, which would be with the company for 35 years, would engage us for that many years, but we are being let off already,” said an aggrieved worker on behalf of the terminated lot of workers.
Pertinent to their issue is the claim that they had been treated dismissively by the company and provided only with salaries without any other kinds of benefits such as increments, promotions, bonus etc. In this regard, questions over the benefits of the project to locals as per the promises of both the company and the state government are being raised.
Responding to the issues raised, Administrative Head, Gati, Mr. Shukla stated that workers are being let off as the company does not require as many workers at present as compared to when the project was under construction.
It may be mentioned here that the project has been commissioned and started generating power from early this year. He, however, stated that no one who had given land for the project and was employed with the company has been terminated. He did not divulge more information on the matter.
GANGTOK, 04 Dec: Hydel projects continue to hog the news and not for very good reasons. This time it is Gati Infrastructures which has undertaken the 99 MW Chujachenhydel project in East Sikkim whose employees are alleging that they are being arbitrarily terminated from employment in the company.
Some of the employees who lost their jobs, while talking to NOW!, disclosed that the local employees who have been working with the company are being retrenched in phases. This, they claim, is being done in violation of the agreement with the State government and the assurances given by the company to them. In fact, it is alleged by them that not only are the local employees being discharged but even those who have parted with their lands for the project are being laid off. This, they say, is a betrayal of the trust they have put in the company as well as in the government.
Of the around 123 local employees engaged with the company, 71 have been let off and it is expected that more will be let off as new lists are drawn. The first list of employees to be discharged was released on 21 November; the second list of employees to be retrenched was released by the company on 29 November, it is informed.
The total number of employees to be terminated in both the lists is 71 and as claimed by the terminated employees, there is to be yet another list in the coming days.
“The employees who have been terminated include drivers, office boys, labourers, casual workers, cooks etc. Some of them have also given land to the company for the project. This is in total violation of the agreement and the assurances given to us; as it is we have not been provided with any benefits nor has the company even given us appointment letters,” alleged one of the terminated workers who had been engaged as a driver. The lot of terminated workers informed that they would approach the concerned department as well as the Chief Minister with their grievances.
The workers are feeling a tremendous sense of having been let down.
“Some of us have been working with the company for the past 8 to 9 years; we had been promised that the project, which would be with the company for 35 years, would engage us for that many years, but we are being let off already,” said an aggrieved worker on behalf of the terminated lot of workers.
Pertinent to their issue is the claim that they had been treated dismissively by the company and provided only with salaries without any other kinds of benefits such as increments, promotions, bonus etc. In this regard, questions over the benefits of the project to locals as per the promises of both the company and the state government are being raised.
Responding to the issues raised, Administrative Head, Gati, Mr. Shukla stated that workers are being let off as the company does not require as many workers at present as compared to when the project was under construction.
It may be mentioned here that the project has been commissioned and started generating power from early this year. He, however, stated that no one who had given land for the project and was employed with the company has been terminated. He did not divulge more information on the matter.
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