Koraput: The protest of the workers of Mythri Infra Limited company at Kodingamali under Laxmipur block in the district reached 46 days on Sunday as talks among various stakeholders continued to remain inconclusive regarding their retrenchment and demand of minimum wages as per the labour norms.
Kodingamali bauxite mine has been subleased to Mythri Infra Ltd by Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC). The workers under the banner of Kodingamali Khani Shramik Sangathan (KKSS) have been continuing their strike in front of the Collectorate since last one and half month with the allegation that the company does not pay them wages and other facilities as per mining sector norms.
However, the demands of the workers have so far fallen in deaf ears.
"The company has retrenched us without any legal notice as we demanded minimum wages and other facilities according to the labour law. We have been continuing our protest in front of the Collectorate since last 46 days. But neither the company nor government officials have paid any attention to our ordeal so far," said KKSS Secretary Dharmendra Bag.
The protestors have also filed a complaint about the injustice before the Central Labour Commission in Bhubaneswar.
"We have filed a complaint before the Labour Commission. The Commission has set April 9 for hearing of the case. We are confident that we will get justice finally," said Bag.
However, the company authorities shrugged off the allegations of the workers.
"Some of the workers of the company have been transferred on indiscipline ground. Their allegations are baseless. In a bid to fulfill their unjustified demand they have even manhandled some of the higher authorities of the company," said Tusharkanti Turuk, Public Relation Officer of the company.
(Edited by Rashmi Ranjan Mohanty)