Work hit at Bathinda refinery

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 21

The work in the Guru Gobind Singh Refinery, Phulo Kheri, here, was severely affected today after local truck unions did not allow trucks of the company which had been given the contract to ferry refinery goods on the seventh day here today.

Labourers are also unable to go to the refinery to make their daily earning and the ancillary work associated with the refinery in the adjoining areas has also been affected. Local truckers are learnt to be objecting to the refinery giving the job of lifting poly products and other material to outsider companies. At the same time, the company handling the ferrying of its products is learnt to have got the job after a tendering process. It has refused to budge on the subject, saying it was their legitimate right.

The refinery is learnt to have switched on to hiring companies through tenders because vehicles of the local truckers were found to be deficient in maintaining proper records, besides certain other things. Certain among them did not even possess the required documents.

“Despite the contract having been given only after a proper process of tendering, the local truckers are creating unnecessary problems. Even the district police which were involved in the exercise since the first day has been unable to resolve the issue,” a refinery official said.

Despite discussions, there seems to be no end in sight at the moment as the local truck unions were learnt not to have budged on their stand of not allowing outsiders and getting the work themselves instead.

Former sarpanch of Kanakwal village, adjoining the refinery, Vir Devinder Singh Guddu, said:The work of poor labourers was heavily affected due to the ongoing agitation. The district administration needs to jump into action immediately and solve the issue to avoid inconvenience to the public as well as labourers due to the agitation.”

Deputy Commissioner Dr Basant Garg said: “Last Friday, I got a complaint with regard to truckers blocking entry of vehicles into the refinery due to which work was affected. I forwarded the communication to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) seeking immediate action. I was informed that the issue had been sorted out. In case of any fresh development, we will look into the case and ensure a speedy remedy.”