Protesting Omfed staff clash with cops

Berhampur: Tension gripped the Omfed plant on the outskirts of city after a group of protesting temporary employees clashed with the police who arrived at the spot to pacify them.

The agitators gheraoed the police and ransacked the office demanding regularisation of their jobs, salary hike and more allowances and benefits.

Notably, the resenting employees went on a cease-work stir last night thereby bringing the operations at the plant to a halt. Huge quantities of milk turned stale while milk packets could not be dispatched today, said plant sources.

“We have been working here for the past 18 years and are yet to get our Provident Fund and ESI clearances,” said Jagannath Nayak, a protesting employee. “We are getting a meager salary of Rs 3,500 per month which is highly inadequate. We also demand regularization of our jobs,” he added.
Reacting to the violent protest of the employees, plant manager P Piyush Prasad Mishra said that suddenly 52 contractual employees went on strike without giving any prior intimation to the management.

“Though they were assured that the management will look into the matter, they still went on strike. They barged into my chamber, ransacked equipment and even manhandled me,” Mishra added.

In the meantime, police have refuted the allegation that some of the cops misbehaved with the protesting women employees of the plant.