Oil field protection demand body suspends agitation

Guwahati, May 31 (UNI) The Oil Field Protection Demand Committee (Assam) today suspended its agitation, slated to begin tomorrow, till June six.

Chief convenor of Dibrugarh district of the committee Subhash Dutta, in a release, informed that the series of agitations, which were lined up from tomorrow, have been called off temporarily following a written proposal from the office of the General Manager of Oil India Limited (OIL) for tripartite talk on June 6.

Besides the members of the committee and OIL personnel, Dibrugarh district authorities would also be present in the meeting.

The committee would decide the future course of action depending on the outcome of the talks.

The committee's demands include filling up of over 500 posts by appointing local youths and allocation of 40 per cent of OIL's annual revenue for development of the area.

The Asom government on Monday had issued shoot-at-sight orders against anyone who targeted OIL's installations in the twin districts of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

The order was given following acts of sabotage by disgruntled contract workers during an agitation against the company last week.

UNI SG KK VD RK2004