Jaypee group seeks govt’s intervention

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 23

Seeking intervention of the state government to ensure that there is no law and order problem arising out of the workers’ strike at the Karcham-Wangtoo and Baspa projects, Manoj Gaur, Executive Chairman of Jaypee Group, met CM Virbhadra Singh today.

Even as the conciliation meetings held in the recent past by the Deputy Labour Commissioner (DLC) failed to solve the 10-day workers’ strike, Gaur urged the CM to direct authorities to prevent any untoward incident as some of the workers had been injured in an attack and others were being threatened. He also sought the help of Deputy Speaker and local legislator Jagat Singh Negi.

“Though there were several benefits which were being given to the workers over and above what is laid down in the Factory Act, now even this Act has been brought into force since January 1, this year,” Gaur said.

“We are more than willing to resolve the situation but we are certainly not in a position to accept demands which are unreasonable, including higher emoluments at par with the Nathpa Jhakri project of the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (SJVNL),” he said.

He said out of the total staff strength of about 1,850 in the two projects, almost 650 were extra but the company had retained them merely as a goodwill gesture. He admitted that the salary structure varied from company to company and there was little that the group could do about it.

While stating that it would take another six to eight months for the sell out of the two projects to be complete, Gaur assured that all the obligations and liabilities will be passed on and this was precisely why the court route had been adopted. “I do not rule out the possibility of a feeling of insecurity among the workers on account of the sell out but I assure that their interests will be protected,” he assured.

Admitting that the company had resorted to a disinvestment of Rs 21,000 crore to reduce the debt burden of almost Rs 45,000, he said once the financial position of the group stabilised, it was his desire to set up another unit in the state, be it in the power or cement sector.