CITU demands employment for local people in RSP

Rourkela, Dec 31 (UNI) The Orissa unit of the CITU has urged the Centre to provide employment to local people in the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), a unit of the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), while undertaking modernisation of the plant.

In a joint press conference here last night, CITU state general secretary Bishu Mohanty and CPI(M) MP from the Bonai Assembly constituency Laxman Munda alleged that the RSP authorities were ignoring the local people while providing jobs and contracts for the modernisation work of the plant.

The leaders demanded the Union Minister for Steel and Mines to regularise the contract workers engaged in the work of the plant and in mines run by the SAIL for the past 25 years.

They also demanded the reopening of the Purunapani mines as well as initiating steps for proper functioning of the Kalta mines.

Their other demands included the spending of five per cent of the profits for the development of the peripheral areas by the SAIL as its corporate social responsibility.

They alleged that the RSP authorities were ignoring their social responsibility as the people in the periphery areas lacked the basic necessities, including drinking water and electricity.

UNI