Police firing at NTPC site in Chhattisgarh

Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, Apr 17 (UNI) Police fired in the air and canecharged to disperse a mob of labourers who indulged in heavy stone-pelting today during an agitation demanding compensation for the death of a contract labourer at the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) plant construction site at Sipat.

Tension prevailed in the area, about 18 km from here, as three security personnel and several labourers were injured. The agitators also carried away the body. However, a police search recovered the corpse, which was sent for postmortem.

Additional Superintendent of Police Govardhan Singh Dharo told UNI that Welder Assistant Vijay Chouhan died this afternoon after a fall from a tower. Many labourers began a sit-in at the site, demanding compensation of Rs 10 lakh, immediate assistance of Rs 60,000 and a job to the next of kin.

Stating that the victim, who belonged to Uttar Pradesh, was working with private contractor Gemen India, he said that NTPC and the company's representatives agreed to pay compensation of Rs 7.81 lakh. However, a group of ''anti-socials'' began creating trouble by pelting stones.

Mr Dharo said that a constable and two personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force were injured. The condition of Constable Santosh Yadav, who has been admitted to Apollo Hospital, was stated to be serious. He said that the police used ''mild force'' to disperse the mob that also torched a police vehicle and an ambulance.

However, labour union leaders said that the district administration and police had a partisan attitude right from the start. Alleging that a police officer used intemperate language during the talks, they said that more than two dozen workers died since construction began. However, several of them did not get any compensation as their respective contractors did not fulfil their obligation.

NTPC is setting up a 2,980-MW plant at Sipat. Two plants of 500 MW each and three units of 660 MW each are under construction. A unit of 500 MW is nearing completion and could begin generation by year's end.

UNI