Hundreds of local people working at the alumina refinery of the Vedanta Aluminium Ltd (VAL) here came to the streets on Tuesday in view of the threat to their livelihoods as a result of the closure of the refinery. They appealed to the State and Central Governments to provide them alternate sources of livelihoods.
“VAL has stopped production and if this situation continues, thousands of people working in the plant will be jobless. We request the State and Central Governments to provide us alternate sources of livelihoods or alternatively, raw material source to the company to run the refinery,” said a local contractor engaged in the plant, Sribaschha Tandi.
Local leaders including Sridhara Pesnia, Chandra Pesnia, Subas Agarwal and Rajendra Singh Deo came forward in support of the workers and demanded that the Government take immediate steps for revival of the plant.
“The Government should consider providing alternative sources of bauxite to the plant. Or, we will go to the Odisha Assembly and Parliament to plead for saving the only industry in our region providing livelihoods to more than 10,000 people of Kalahandi,” said president of Lanjigarh Anchalika Vikash Parishad Sridhara Pesnia.
The locals also voiced their concern over the anti-industry attitude of NGOs and civil society organisations, which have been opposing Vedanta without having any concern for the human misery that would result due to the closure.Vedanta has closed its 1-MT refinery based since December 5 last due to shortage of bauxite.
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