TV
Hundreds of protesters marched to the Tata Steel Sponge Iron Plant at Belaipada under Joda Police Station in Keonjhar district on Friday. They staged a sit-in protest and presented a 16-point demand letter. The agitating locals alleged that the company ignored the needs of the affected communities and prioritized employing outsiders over local unemployed youth.
They also accused the company of neglecting education, healthcare, and other essential areas despite repeated complaints and demands.
As a mark of protest, representatives and locals from five adjoining panchayats-Birikala, Kandara, Chamakpur, Deojhar, and Anseikala panchayats under Zone 28 gathered at Bileipada Chhak around noon. The protestors then began a mass rally toward the company gates while chanting slogans and raising their demands.
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“Many locals have lost their lands for the development of this plant. However, the company does not provide employment to the local youth nor has it taken any efforts to develop local infrastructure. The residents around the plant suffer from pollution generated by the plant but the company has turned a blind eye towards their woes,” alleged a representative of the protests.
Their 16-point demands included permanent employment for local youth, free healthcare services, ambulance facilities, free bus services for students, scholarships, and the development of local infrastructure. The agitators warned that the protest will continue until their demands are met.
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Till the last reports, no official response from the company management could be received.
