CITU intimidating workers, says Kinnaur legislator

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 26

Kinnaur legislator Jagat Singh Negi and the management of the Himachal Power Corporation Limited (HPCL) today said CITU leaders were trying to intimidate workers and fuelling hatred. He termed the CITU-supported strike of workers of the 450 MW Karcham-Wangtoo project a bid to hijack the INTUC-supported workers union. But the CITU warned the district administration and the Kinnaur legislator that they would not allow them to crush the genuine demands of the workers.

Negi alleged: “The INTUC-Supported Shongtong-Karcham Workers Union is the only registered union with the HPCL.”

He said the CITU was making its entry into the project by foul means and was levelling baseless charges against him. “I have nothing to do with my brother’s Kinner Kailash Company which runs a crusher unit in the project area. Being an ex-serviceman, he acquired the land for the project and availed the benefit,” he claimed.

Negi claimed that it was due to his initiative that the locals in Baspa and the JP-run Karcham Wangtoo projects got Rs 4 lakh per bigha instead of meagre Rs 4,000 per bigha compensation. “CITU has no justification to fan the strike as it has approached the High Court in the Shongtong-Karcham power project strike despite the fact that sub-contractors have paid wages, except in a few cases,” he claimed. Negi said the Labour Commissioner had referred the workers’ dispute to the labour court, still the CITU was fanning violence and breaching peace in the project violating Section 144 imposed at the site.

Workers were being forced by the CITU to join the strike, he alleged.

CITU and CPM leaders Rakesh Singha and Bihari Siyogi today said it was at the behest of Negi that Patel Engineering Company and its subcontractors had terminated the workers. “The CITU-supported workers union is legal. INTUC goons are indulging in violence. They even thrashed three workers,” they claimed. The leaders said the strike would continue until all cases were withdrawn and wages paid.

Managing director, HPCL, DK Sharma said the dispute was pending in the High Court and the labour court.