Nagpur News.
The Labour Commissioner, taking serious note of sacking of hundreds of workers by Ankit Pulps & Boards Pvt. Ltd situated on Kamptee Road, Nagpur and subsequent agitation undertaken by workers since Saturday (June 28), has ordered convening of joint meeting of management and the workers. The meeting will be held on July 5. The striking workers have reposed their faith in Labour Commissioner and are hoping for an amicable solution to their problem.
Earlier, a delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party Kamgar Mahasangh had called on the Labour Commissioner, Nagpur and had apprised him about the exploitation of workers by the management of Ankit Pulps & Boards Pvt. Ltd by various ways and means. The Mahasangh had requested the Labour Commissioner to provide justice to the agitating workers. Sonu Sharma, District Unit President of Bharatiya Janata Party Kamgar Mahasangh said that the Labour Commissioner was informed about a complaint lodged at his office on June 9 in connection with the injustice being meted out by the management of Ankit Pulps & Boards Pvt. Ltd. The concerned Labour Inspector Madavi in a rough manner had said that he will visit the company within 4-5 days to sort out the problem. But Madavi arrived on June 17 and held talks with owners of the company in the closed door chamber and later left the company without meeting the workers. On June 18, the management, except some specific workers, sacked the rest of the workers. The action of the management has cast aspersions on the role of Madavi as earlier also the management and Madavi had played mischief with workers, claimed Sonu Sharma after meeting the Labour Commissioner.
The shocked Labour Commissioner took serious note of the development and has called a joint meeting of management and workers to sort out the problem to the satisfaction of both the sides. The meeting will be held on July 5.
It may be mentioned, the report flashed by Nagpur Today in connection with the agitation being undertaken by workers of Ankit Pulps & Boards Pvt. Ltd situated on Kamptee Road, Nagpur had drawn the attention of Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan. The Chief Minister had then directed the Labour Commissioner, Nagpur to intervene in the matter and hammer out an amicable solution to the satisfaction of both the parties.
Before hitting the streets, the workers and labourers had held meetings with management of the company and discussed the problems confronting them several times. But in vain. Finally, the employees knocked the doors of Sonu Sharma, District Unit President of Bharatiya Janata Party Kamgar Mahasangh. Sonu Sharma said the company Directors Anil Agrawal and Rajesh Agrawal have shown only 50 labourers in the muster roll whereas more than 200 labourers were working in the company. Moreover, the company was resorting to exploitation of workers like deducting company’s share of provident fund from labourers’ salaries and even the ESIC share of company was deducted from labourers’ salaries. The wages paid to the workers are also far less than the prescribed minimum wages, said Sharma.
