logo
Don't understand law, we want our jobs protected: Odisha steel plant workers after SC order

Don't understand law, we want our jobs protected: Odisha steel plant workers after SC order

Time of India18-05-2025

Fear of loss of jobs among workers of a steel plant in Odisha's Jharsuguda has been growing with every passing day, following the Supreme Court setting aside a resolution plan and ordering liquidation of the unit's original owner, BSPL, earlier this month. The workers, who have been demonstrating in front of the plant for the past several days, said they do not understand legal issues involved in the case, and only want their jobs to be protected.
Not only the plant's employees, but also contractual workers, local vendors, and small traders, are worried lot, and they held demonstrations at the main gate of the plant, originally owned by
Bhushan Power and Steel Limited
's (BPSL).
After the BSPL failed to repay a loan of over Rs 47,000 crore, lenders dragged the company to
insolvency
proceedings and
JSW Steel
emerged as the successful bidder for BSPL.
The Supreme Court on May 2, however, set aside a resolution plan submitted by
JSW Steel
for BSPL, holding it illegal and in violation of the Insolvency and
Bankruptcy
Code (IBC). The apex court also ordered the liquidation of BSPL under the
IBC
.
The functional and now a profit-making unit, has also been the industrial showpiece in the mineral-rich region, and many people depend on it for their livelihood.
Live Events
While about 3,000 people are directly employed in the BPSL plant, it provides indirect employment to around 20,000 others. They include suppliers, transporters, shopkeepers and small traders.
As an air of uncertainty prevails in the western Odisha town which used to be affected by migration of workers, state Industries Minister Sampad Candra Swain told PTI: "We are looking into the matter. I do not want to speak more on the issue now."
Workers do not want the legal wrangle to jeopardise their livelihood.
"We are worried about our 'roji roti' (livelihood). The company is making profits due to stability in its operations. Thousands of people will be forced to starve or start migrating again if there is liquidation," said one of the workers of the plant, who did not wish to be identified.
Asked about the court order, another employee said, "We are not legal experts and don't understand the law. We only want our livelihoods to be protected."
The local sarpanch of Thelkoloi, Avantyi Nayak, said that the local people including employees of the BPSL were concerned over the development.
"This plant not only provides employment to local people but also supports thousands of ancillary jobs, small businesses, and community initiatives," she told PTI.
Similar views were also expressed by Hemant Pandey, a supplier of manpower to industrial units in the Jharsuguda region.
"Sending a functional, employment-generating industrial asset into possible liquidation poses a threat to economic recovery of the region," Pandey said.
The stakeholders are hoping for a positive outcome through judicial and government intervention into the matter.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

GNIDA wants waste pickup fee, RWAs say paid already
GNIDA wants waste pickup fee, RWAs say paid already

Time of India

time29 minutes ago

  • Time of India

GNIDA wants waste pickup fee, RWAs say paid already

Noida: Greater Noida residents staged a walkout during a meeting with GNIDA, protesting newly proposed charges for garbage collection. The residents argued that they had already paid for such services through the one-time lease rent during property registration. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In a meeting held by GNIDA's health department with representatives from RWAs on Monday, the authority informed residents about the proposed monthly charges for garbage collection. These charges were to range from Rs 80 for plots up to 200 square meters to Rs 150 for plots exceeding 500 square meters. However, residents voiced strong opposition, citing the poor state of waste management services in the city and their belief that the cleanliness of the area is the responsibility of the municipal body or GNIDA itself. The meeting, chaired by Chetram Singh, senior manager of GNIDA's health department, included RWAs from sectors such as Alpha 1 and 2, Beta 1 and 2, Gamma 1 and 2, and others. During the session, residents were informed of the new charges: Rs 80 per month for plots up to 200sqm, Rs 100 for plots between 200 and 300sqm, Rs 120 for plots between 300 and 500sqm, and Rs 150 per month for plots larger than 500sqm. Residents were quick to point out that they had already paid for waste collection services through the lease rent they had paid at the time of property registration. Nidhi Sharma, a resident of Sector Gamma 1, quipped, "When lease rent and transfer charges are being taken, why are additional user charges for waste collection being imposed?" Many residents condemned the proposal, viewing it as yet another financial burden. The walkout was also fueled by the longstanding issues with waste disposal in Greater Noida. According to multiple residents, the cleanliness situation in the city is dire, with poor service from the agency hired by GNIDA, Blue Planet. Residents also raised concerns over the poor waste collection practices. "Despite a tender worth 30-35 crores, urban sectors are not being cleaned properly," Bhati added. The residents also pointed to the outsourcing of waste collection to the private company Blue Planet, which, they claimed, had failed to meet expectations. Alok Singh, another resident of Greater Noida said, "Every time a problem is solved, it reappears the next day. The authorities have failed to deliver, and now they're asking for more money." In light of these protests, resident Alok Singh suggested that GNIDA form a dedicated city maintenance department (CMD), which would streamline waste management and other civic services

Fraud PIL filed in court, GDA stalls approvals for 137 plots in Swarn Jayanti Puram scheme
Fraud PIL filed in court, GDA stalls approvals for 137 plots in Swarn Jayanti Puram scheme

Time of India

time29 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Fraud PIL filed in court, GDA stalls approvals for 137 plots in Swarn Jayanti Puram scheme

Ghaziabad: Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has barred map approvals for 137 plots in the Swarn Jayanti Puram housing scheme, which are currently under litigation in the civil court. The scheme, launched in 1998, sold 1,553 plots of various sizes, but allotment of 137 were cancelled when owners defaulted on instalments. It was alleged that a few GDA officials, in connivance with property dealers, got the allotments of these plots restored between 2005 and 2007 after paying a paltry sum to the original allottees. The officials then got the plots transferred in their names. The irregularities came to light in 2011 when a petition was filed in the high court, alleging that officials had indulged in fraudulent means to restore cancelled plots in the area. The court had directed Moradabad range commissioner to investigate the matter. The inquiry had found some officials, including former secretary and vice chairperson of GDA, were involved in the scam, and FIRs were registered against them in Dec 2017. However, action against officials found involved in the irregularities has been slow. In Oct 2022, Allahabad high court had reprimanded the GDA, saying it "slept over these files without taking any action". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 경기도 거주자 전용: 무료 영웅 캐릭터를 받으세요! 레이드 섀도우 레전드 Undo Sources said the Authority recently received map approval applications for some of these 137 plots. Subsequently, GDA additional secretary wrote to the town planning department asking it to bar map approvals of any of these 137 plots."There were attempts to get the map approval of 137 plots in the Swarn Jyanti Puram housing scheme, even though there is an ongoing case in the Ghaziabad civil court over plot allotment. The additional secretary has directed the town planner to cancel map approvals for these plots, if any have been cleared already," a GDA official told TOI. The fraud is estimated to have cost the state exchequer a loss of about Rs 3 crore and an additional Rs 30 lakh in stamp duty. TOI earlier reported that the 137 plots were allegedly restored at the sector rate of 1998 — when it ranged between Rs 2,575 per sqm and Rs 2,820 per sqm. But according to the rules, the plots ought to have been restored at the prevailing sector rate of 2005-2007 or 75% of the market value, whichever was higher. The sector rate then was Rs 12,000 per sqm.

Tvm airport expansion gets boost as funds are secured
Tvm airport expansion gets boost as funds are secured

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Tvm airport expansion gets boost as funds are secured

T'puram: The expansion plans of city airport received a boost after Adani Airports raised $750 million in external commercial borrowings to enhance infrastructure at its six airports. Of this, Rs 1,300 crore will be allocated for Project Anantha and Rs 700 crore for other upgrades, including measures to support the expansion of non-aeronautical businesses like retail, food and beverages, duty-free and other services. The upgrades will begin soon, while the new project will start shortly after approvals are ready. An airport official said that funds were not an issue and the company would use its funds, but now the money was raised specifically for airport upgrades. "The project can now be taken up smoothly as dedicated funds have come. The money will be used to upgrade the six airports run by the group – Thiruvananthapuram, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangalore, Jaipur and Guwahati". Project Anantha envisages an investment of Rs 1,300 crore over three years for the expansion of Terminal 2. The existing 45,000 sq m currently handling 3.2 million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA) will be enhanced to 1,65,000 sq m to handle almost 12 MPPA with a multi-level Curb Integrated Terminal. The new terminal will also have a forecourt with an airport plaza, a hotel, and a commercial and administration block. There will be more space for car parking. A new Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, an international cargo complex and a remote check-in facility landside will create a completely new airport complex, said a statement from Adani Airport Holdings Ltd. "The clearances are the only thing that we are waiting for. The plan and the funds are ready," he added. A long-term expansion is also being considered, as the company submitted a broader masterplan worth Rs 3,000 crore to the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority. This includes the redevelopment of Terminals 1 and 2 and other work designed to handle 27 million passengers by 2034. The airport already completed some of the upgrades, like runway recarpeting, improving ground lighting and airside signage. The refurbishment of Terminal 1 is ongoing as part of upgrade work and will be completed in two months.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store