Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 6: Workers of the now closed Hindustan Pencils factory at Paloura today staged a full-day protest dharna outside the office of the Deputy Labour Commissioner, demanding immediate intervention into their grievances.
The protest at the Labour Commissioner’s office followed after workers had been holding a continuous dharna for the last 22 days outside the factory gate, alleging that no serious intervention had been made by the Labour Department to call the management for talks or negotiations.
The workers alleged that M/s Hindustan Pencils Private Limited (Natraj Pencils) had illegally closed the factory without complying with labour laws, without clearing pending dues of employees who had been serving in the unit for the last 20 to 25 years, and without adjusting them at the Bari Brahmana factory.
The workers’ union further alleged that the management, under a planned conspiracy to get rid of old regular employees and restart operations with contractual staff, had taken these steps. They also accused the company of trying to wrongly claim insurance from the New India Assurance Company by stating that the fire was caused by a short circuit, whereas according to workers, the blaze broke out due to welding and drilling work in the running factory.
The protesting workers urged the Government to order a proper inquiry into the actual cause of the fire. They also questioned how the J&K Fire Services Department was planning to issue a certificate attributing the incident to a short circuit without a detailed probe, and alleged that insurance company officials were hand in glove with the management.
Later, a delegation of workers led by Harbans Choudhary met the Deputy Labour Commissioner and Assistant Labour Commissioner, who assured them that the higher management would be called within one or two days so that an amicable settlement could be reached.
Mohinder Lal, Yashpaul, Sharda Devi, Nitu Rani, Reena Sharma, Chanchal Sharma, Arun Katoch, Yash Pal, Prem Nath and Ragubir Singh also addressed the protesters.
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