Bathinda, July 3
Despite the claims of the authorities concerned of having restoring normalcy, the effects of the recent violence is still evident on construction work at the Guru Gobind Singh Refinery at Phulokhari village in Bathinda.
For one reason or the other, the Rs 19,000 crore refinery has been grappling to find its way ever since its foundation was laid in 1998. At that time, it was said the construction would be completed within 48 months, but even after 11 years have passed, not even the basic structure is ready.
Earlier, the refinery was finding it tough to cope with politics that took place over it with the SAD (B) and the Congress accusing each other of scuttling efforts to help the refinery see the light of the day. Then, finding a smart investor emerged as a huge problem. Wading through these, the entry of Mittal Energy Investment Limited, stabilized the work at refinery. Construction work gathered momentum.
But the violence at the refinery on June 29 again gave a jolt to the construction work. During the incident, protesting labourers went on the rampage and damaged infrastructure and set ablaze more than 25 vehicles.
Reacting to the incident, police registered case against the mob, without mentioning number of accused labourers.
The police case has left such a negative impact on the labourers that they are living under the fear of being picked up by the police any day. As most of the estimated 12,000 labourers are migrants, most of them along with their families have started moving out of the place to save themselves.
Talking to TNS, some of the labourers said were waiting for July 7 as on the seventh day of every month the construction companies pay them their monthly wages. It is after this date that they may contemplate their future course of action.
"My family is so frightened after witnessing the firing that they are urging me to leave the place soon. But, I will have to wait here till I get the salary. I have started working in the refinery but feel there are chances of the salary being deducted along with police action," lamented a 35-year-old labourer, who pleaded not to quote his name.
"Here, the attitude of the employers is heartless which we witnessed after the death of one our colleagues on June 29. In view of this, it is tough to work here in future," said Subodh Kumar (name changed) a labourer from Bihar. While moving around in the Labour Colony outside the refinery, it was observed that some fresh faces, mostly labourers, have landed from UP and Bihar. But getting a negative response from their kin here, they were planning to leave the place to look for some agriculture related job.
A senior refinery official said they were not entitled to speak to the media. However, refusing to be named, he said, "We are calculating the losses and a separate wing has been working to settle our claims from the insurance companies.Gradually, normalcy is returning as labourers have joined work. We are hopeful of achieving the target of completing the construction by March 2011."
Despite the claims of the authorities concerned of having restoring normalcy, the effects of the recent violence is still evident on construction work at the Guru Gobind Singh Refinery at Phulokhari village in Bathinda.
For one reason or the other, the Rs 19,000 crore refinery has been grappling to find its way ever since its foundation was laid in 1998. At that time, it was said the construction would be completed within 48 months, but even after 11 years have passed, not even the basic structure is ready.
Earlier, the refinery was finding it tough to cope with politics that took place over it with the SAD (B) and the Congress accusing each other of scuttling efforts to help the refinery see the light of the day. Then, finding a smart investor emerged as a huge problem. Wading through these, the entry of Mittal Energy Investment Limited, stabilized the work at refinery. Construction work gathered momentum.
But the violence at the refinery on June 29 again gave a jolt to the construction work. During the incident, protesting labourers went on the rampage and damaged infrastructure and set ablaze more than 25 vehicles.
Reacting to the incident, police registered case against the mob, without mentioning number of accused labourers.
The police case has left such a negative impact on the labourers that they are living under the fear of being picked up by the police any day. As most of the estimated 12,000 labourers are migrants, most of them along with their families have started moving out of the place to save themselves.
Talking to TNS, some of the labourers said were waiting for July 7 as on the seventh day of every month the construction companies pay them their monthly wages. It is after this date that they may contemplate their future course of action.
"My family is so frightened after witnessing the firing that they are urging me to leave the place soon. But, I will have to wait here till I get the salary. I have started working in the refinery but feel there are chances of the salary being deducted along with police action," lamented a 35-year-old labourer, who pleaded not to quote his name.
"Here, the attitude of the employers is heartless which we witnessed after the death of one our colleagues on June 29. In view of this, it is tough to work here in future," said Subodh Kumar (name changed) a labourer from Bihar. While moving around in the Labour Colony outside the refinery, it was observed that some fresh faces, mostly labourers, have landed from UP and Bihar. But getting a negative response from their kin here, they were planning to leave the place to look for some agriculture related job.
A senior refinery official said they were not entitled to speak to the media. However, refusing to be named, he said, "We are calculating the losses and a separate wing has been working to settle our claims from the insurance companies.Gradually, normalcy is returning as labourers have joined work. We are hopeful of achieving the target of completing the construction by March 2011."
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