Rayagada: A mob of more than hundred locals, who have been staging dharna in front of IMFA’s factory in Therubali of Rayagada district since April 23, ransacked machinery, CCTV cameras and lights installed near the factory gate on Wednesday.
The agitators also closed down a nearby hospital and school.
“The plant is a rice bowl for many and ‘poisoning’ it will not benefit anyone; perpetrators should not take advantage of innocent tribals for vested interests and rather come out in open”, said BJP leader Jayaram Pangi in a tweet message reacting over the incident.
The local youths have been staging a dharna in front of the main gate of the plant seeking fulfilment of their nine-point charter of demands including basic amenities, overall development of the region, regularisation of jobs of contractual employees, jobs and training to unemployed youths of the locality. They locked all the gates of the plant. Tribal of seven panchayats have also joined the protest.
On Tuesday, IMFA’s corporate affairs vice president and legal head Ashok Behera had said, “No memorandum of demands has been submitted by the protestors. In view of the prevailing situation, we were forced to shut down the unit.”
Adequate police personnel have been deployed at the spot in anticipating escalation of tension in the area.
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