Over 600 Odias among Indian workers stuck in Uzbekistan, protest over unpaid salaries

Several Odia workers, along with other Indian employees, are stranded in Uzbekistan and are reportedly unable to return home. Many of the affected Odias are from Ganjam district, specifically Sanakhemundi and Digapahandi, working as engineers and labourers.

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According to sources, the stuck employees have been staging protests outside the office of an engineering company (Enter Engineering Pte Limited, Uzbekistan) for the last five days. Workers from Odisha and other Indian states had travelled to Uzbekistan for employment, but have not received their salaries and associated benefits promised by the company.

More than 600 Odias are among over 1,500 Indian nationals stranded there. The workers claim that the employer company failed to fulfil its contractual obligations, forcing them to resort to demonstrations. No official statement has been issued by the Enter Engineering Company regarding the situation until now.

Authorities and community representatives are monitoring the situation closely, seeking ways to resolve the workers’ grievances and ensure their safe return to India.

“Several fellow workers, as you see, are stranded here. We have been working at Enter Engineering for nearly the last two years. We have not been paid our salaries for the last four months,” a stranded engineer, Chandan Kumar Roul, said in a video message.

“The company has asked us to return to our country. At the moment, we do not even have money to buy our food. We have been deprived of the basic amenities at our camp and are passing our days in much difficulty. We appeal to the Government of India to take necessary steps and help us return home safely,” the stranded engineer stated.

Reported By: Satyanarayan Padhi