GNDTP contract workers observe black Lohri

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 13

Members of the Thermal Contract Workers’ Coordination Committee Punjab today observed black Lohri in front of the District Administrative Complex here today. They accused the state government of pushing them towards poverty by shutting the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant and two units of the Ropar thermal plant.

Gathered around a bonfire lit up at the green belt in front of the DAC, the contractual employees took the oath to continue their fight against the state government till the time the government did not withdraw its decision. The protesters have been sitting on an indefinite protest for the past 13 days.

Addressing the protesters, union leaders Rajinder Singh Dhillon, Ashwini Kumar, Jagroop Singh, Vijay Kumar and others said while the country was celebrating the festival, they were forced by the state government to celebrate black Lohri.

They accused the state government of shutting not only the thermal plant, but also government primary schools, anganwari centres, transferring the work of mid-day meal in schools to private groups and several social welfare schemes for favouring privatisation.