Bokaro: The tense standoff at the Vedanta ESL Steel Plant in Chandankyari Block (Bokaro) came to an end late Tuesday night as company management, district administration officials, and representatives of the Jharkhand Bhasha Sangharsh Samiti (JBKSS) reached a comprehensive five-point agreement. The primary focus of the agreement was to guarantee job opportunities for displaced individuals affected by the plant’s operations.
“As a result of this blockade, production had been hampered and cut by 70%, and we suffered losses to the tune of 100 Crores.” said Ashish Gupta, chief executive officer (CEO) of Vedanta ESL Steel Limited on Wednesday.
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Successful Negotiations and Normalisation
Naresh Rajak, Deputy Collector Land Reforms (LRDC), said that the situation at the Vedanta ESL Plant Gate normalised on Wednesday after successful negotiation talks. The agreement, contains signature of displaced persons, and ESL senior officials, outlined the terms of the resolution.
Employment Assurance and Agreed Terms
Displaced individuals and administrative officers confirmed the job promises made by the company during negotiations. Vedanta ESL Steel Plant released a statement, asserting the amicable resolution of issues. The written agreement includes commitments from the company, signed by key officials, outlining phased appointments and additional job opportunities.
Jairam Mahto’s Perspective on Agreement
Jairam Mahto, the leader of the agitation, expressed satisfaction, stating that Vedanta ESL had accepted their five demands, leading to the conclusion of the agitation.
He said, “the management of Vedanta ESL, through the signing of a written agreement, has committed to a gradual appointment process for 90 individuals within a span of 90 days. This initiative is specifically for displaced persons whose land has been acquired by the plant, and their enrollment is duly registered in the Grievance Cell. Additionally, as part of the expansion of the coke oven and DI plant, there will be the creation of an extra 200 job opportunities. Priority for these positions will be given to both displaced and non-displaced individuals from the affected area, with selection based on educational merit”.
Addressing Recent Unrest: Clashes, Strikes, and Section 144 Imposition
This employment-focused resolution aims to address recent unrest marked by violent clashes during a two-day strike. The strike resulted in the blockage of all three gates of the ESL Steel Plant by protestors, under the leadership of JBKSS, who presented a 13-point demand. The clashes led to injuries, vandalism, and the imposition of Section 144 in the area by the district administration.
CEO Acknowledges Challenges: Rs 100 Crore Losses
In a related development, ESL Steel Limited’s CEO, Ashish Gupta, acknowledged the resolution but highlighted the significant losses incurred during the blockade. Gupta stated that production was hampered, resulting in losses amounting to Rs 100 Crores. Despite the challenges, he commended the dedicated workforce and expressed the company’s commitment to constructive dialogue for future issue resolution.
