Contractual workers' protest at Chhattisgarh power plant

Continuing the agitation for the past several days, the contractual workers of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Thermal Power Plant in Madwa in Janjgir-Champa district of Chhattisgarh again staged a protest that turned violent on Sunday.

"When asked to leave the spot in view of rising COVID-19 cases, the protestors started pelting stone," officials said.

The contractual workers of the plant, which is operated by Chhattisgarh State Power Company, have been protesting for the past 28 days demanding their services be made permanent.

Earlier, these employees had requested the administration to hold talks with the chairman of Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board, on which the administration fixed the time of January 4, but the employees demanded that it be held earlier, an official said.

It further stated that owing to their demand the administration proposed on fixing a new date on January 3 but the agitators did not agree to this and insisted on holding talks through video conferencing on Sunday.

"Even after the video conferencing was arranged, those taking part in the stir refused to vacate the area," officials said.

Police had reportedly used water cannons to remove the protesters as some workers at the Madwa plant, who were suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes, had to be evacuated immediately.

( With inputs from ANI )

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