NALCO affected prople from Damanjodi call on Union Minister

A delegation of NALCO Land Affected (Substantial Affected) Person’s Association, Damanjodi under the leadership and guidance of Mr. Sankar Prasad Duria, a Ph.D Research Scholar of Delhi University and Human Rights Activist met and submitted a memorandum to Shri Narendra Singh Tomar Honorable Union Minister of Steel and Mines at Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi on 10th February 2016 and demanded jobs to one member of each families and proper compensation as an arrear from 1981 to till date to the land losers of LAP/SAP, Damanjodi.

Mr. Duria also presented the few facts before the minister and in reply Hon’ble Minister said that he will take this issue seriously and assured to give justices to the land losers of LAP/SAP under NALCO, Damanjodi. NALCO LAP/SAP Association president Mr. Bhimadhar Khillo and General Secretary Bhabani Sankar Nayak and others were present in the delegation.

Following few facts are presented before the Honorable Minister:

1. That, in the year 1981 the NALCO authorities acquired our landed properties for the construction of NALCO in Damanjodi and the NALCO had given us assurance at that time of land acquisition that each of the land losers family will be given jobs in the Nalco Damanjodi plant. But the NALCO, Damanjodi betrayed us since 1981.
2. Most of the land losers are belong to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Economic Backward people of Koraput District.
3. Koraput is one of the most backward districts of India and comes under Scheduled Area, and the law does not permit to sell and purchase of the land of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes people of this district. In spite of that NALCO has taken the land of SCs and STs and not provided any employment and compensation till date which is a clear violation of human rights.
4. That, after so many reminders, representations, Dharna, Ghreao, approaches personally and officially to NALCO, the company not even ready to pay the single attention to the demands of the land losers.
5. If the NALCO authorities and Ministry of Steel and Mines will not take up our case seriously within one month then our families will face severe starvation death.
6. All of our family going through severe financial crunch and to overcome this we are approaching for bank loan which requires land as mortgage but we all are land losers so you must be knowing our tragic conditions.
7. We demand the total compensation from 1981 onwards to till date as an arrear.
8. We also demand a discussion in between NALCO and our delegates of LAP/SAP, Damanjodi in presence of your officials.
9. Hence, we all request you to intervene in the matter and instruct the NALCO authorities to take immediate steps for providing jobs to one member of each families and proper compensation to the land losers.