Villagers protested against UltraTech Cement in Rewa, submitted memorandum demanding 70% jobs for locals
Hundreds of villagers protested at the gate of UltraTech Cement’s Bela plant in Rewa, alleging local youth were ignored, and gave the company a one-week deadline to provide 70% jobs to local unemployed.
Anger among local villagers once again erupted against the UltraTech Cement company at Bela in Rewa district. Alleging that the company management ignored unemployed youth and had a dictatorial attitude, hundreds of villagers reached the company’s main gate and staged a strong protest. Office-bearers of the Kisan Union (CITU), sarpanches of various gram panchayats, public representatives, women and prominent citizens also took part in large numbers.
The villagers shouted slogans against the company management and raised their voices over employment. The protesters said the purpose of setting up industries was to provide jobs to local people, but UltraTech Cement at Bela was giving preference to outsiders while youth from nearby villages remained unemployed. This has caused great anger among the villagers.
During the protest, the villagers submitted a memorandum with their demands to Navasta outpost in-charge Prashant Shukla. The memorandum said that it would be fine if the company management gave at least 70 per cent of jobs to local unemployed people; otherwise the agitation would become more intense. The memorandum gave the company a week’s time. The villagers warned that if no concrete action was taken in this period, the company management and administration would be responsible for the agitation.
Villagers present on the occasion said that if industries did not give jobs to local youth, such industries would not be allowed to operate in the district. The large number of women and youth in the protest showed that the employment issue could take the form of a broad people’s movement.
