Violence at Bathinda Refinery--- Lack of amenities fuelled workers’ anger

Violence at Bathinda Refinery
Lack of amenities fuelled workers’ anger
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 30
It was not just the death of Bhanu Tiwari, a labourer, which led to a rampage by labourers at the Guru Gobind Singh Refinery here yesterday. If the statements of labourers and officials of the district administration are to be believed, the under-construction refinery lacks basic amenities for its workers and the Monday violence could be attributed to this fact.
Disclosing their grievance to The Tribune, labourers alleged that working conditions at the site were inhumane.
The labourers blamed the refinery officials for the absence of proper arrangements for potable water and medical facilities. “We had to work here like bonded labourers. There are a few trees in the area to take shelter in the scorching heat,” they alleged.
Officiating SSP of Bathinda Naunihal Singh said: “During the investigations, I came to know that there are more than 12,000 labourers working at the refinery, but no grievance redressal mechanism is in place there,” he said.
“In comparison to the costly equipment being installed there, we found poor security arrangements at the refinery,” the officiating SSP added.
When asked about the legal action to be taken against the protesters, the SSP said: “We have been going through video footages to nail the culprits.”
Repeated attempts to contact Rajeev Parmar, chief manager of the HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited, proved futile. His subordinates repeatedly said he was busy.
SDM, Talwandi Sabo, Anil Garg said he had been informed that nearly 60 per cent of the labourer had resumed work. He added that out of the compensation amount, Rs 30,000 was paid yesterday at the time of the cremation of the labourer and the rest Rs 4 lakh would be paid when his widow reached here.