Workers had faced intimidation and assault from locals, several were injured
Ranchi, October 18: The active intervention of the state chief minister Hemant Soren in bringing back workers who had been assaulted in Himachal Pradesh has bore fruit.
So far, a total of 61 workers who were employed by Norwen company in a hydel electric project of Rathi Hydroelectric Power Project Limited in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh and had been assaulted by locals and supervisors on October 3 have returned to their home districts in Jharkhand.
The workers have returned home in four batches and the process is going on. All the workers are residents of Khunti and Torpa block of Khunti district and Bandgaon in West Singhbhum and other parts of the state.
These workers had gone to work in Rathi Hydroelectric Power Project Private Limited, Himachal Pradesh. They had to return after an incident in which the workers of Jharkhand were assaulted over unpaid dues and other issues by the locals earlier this month.
After that incident, the frightened workers had pleaded for return and the matter was brought to the notice of chief minister by deputy labour superintendent of Khunti.
Taking cognizace of the matter, the Chief Minister, immediately directed senior officials to work closely on this issue and ensure the safe return of workers from Himachal Pradesh.
Following the instructions of the Chief Minister, the State Migrant Control Room under the Labour Department connected with the top officials of the respective company and ensured the safe return of the workers. After the intervention of the state government, the company management, based in Himachal Pradesh, also agreed to send other workers back.
The intervention from the state government also compelled the company’s management to pay all the arrears and outstanding wages to the returnee labourers.
On his return, one of the workers Etwa Munda told that more groups are preparing to come back to Jharkhand.
State Migrant Control Room counsellor Rajni Tape said that they are in constant touch with the head of Rathi Hydro project Power Private Limited.
“In addition, we are in regular contact with the labourers willing to come back. Hurdles, if any, in the return of workers are being addressed. We are preparing to bring back all the labourers, willing to come back, who are left in Himachal Pradesh,” said Rajni.
The company’s officials have been asked to share details of all the workers from Jharkhand. All the workers who came back, thanked Chief Minister Hemant Soren, state labour minister Satyanand Bhogta and the State Migrant Workers Control Room.