Jajpur, Dec 21 (Odisha.in) Hundreds of unemployed youths under the banner of Sukinda Unemployed Technical Youth Association (SUTYA) staged an agitation before the Jindal Stainless Limited (JSL), located in Kalinga Nagar, the steel hub of India in Orissa’s Jajpur district on Friday.
They demanded appointment to the technical youths of the locality and high-level inquiry into the irregularities meted out during the selection of some ITI Trainees and Diploma Engineer Trainees to be absorbed in the plant.
The youths led by the SUTYA president Dharmananda Ray also locked the entrance gate of the steel plant for over six hours and prevented man and material into the industry.
Works inside the plant was paralysed and production hampered following the agitation, which has resulted in huge loss to the organization. Later police reached at the spot and brought the situation under control.
They claimed despite repeated assurances the JSL authorities were not giving them appointments and appointing non-Oriyas and the outsiders in it.
“Nearly 2300 ITI and Diploma Engineers pass-outs had appeared in a written examination held by the company seven months back. But the authorities have called a few for final selection to be held on December 23, 24,25,26 and 27,” said Suryamani Biswal, general secretary of the association.
“Earlier though JSL management had assured us to absorb all the technical youths of Sukinda area, but this time they called the aspirants on their choice by whom they have been gained over. There has been high-scale corruption during the short-listing the candidates,” he alleged.
The locals also alleged that the company has violated all the norms of selection procedures of the aspirants. “The company called for viva seven months after the written examination and that too in a short notice.
Even it is also not disclosing how many ITI pass-outs it really wants,” pointed out Ashotosh Mishra, general secretary of Vyasa Unemployed Youth Organisation, a forum formed for the interest of local unemployed youths in Kalinga Nagar.
“The JSL management is adopting an illegal practice in selecting ITI and Diploma Engineers Trainees. Some of the senior positions of the company have been bribed for issuing Viva letters to the candidates, appeared written test about seven months ago,” Mr. Mishra said.
Is it proper forum on the part of General Manager (Human Resources) of JSL to negotiate the agitating people in a police station, he questioned.
In a press release the JSL authorities that some local self-styled & so called “SUTIYA “ organizations want to take mileage and undue credit out of the selection procedure of ITI and Diploma Engineers Trainees & with their vested interest are trying to prevail upon the JSL-management to pressurize them to meet their ends.
The management has always given paramount consideration to the interest of the local youth. The unwanted interference by handful persons is building a threat on the future of the industrial growth as well as a serious set back to the economy of an up-coming state, it stated.
Odisha.in