Work charge of 1071 Kendu leaf workers demanded

BHUBANESWAR: Hundreds of Kendu leaf workers of the Odisha Temporary Kendu Leaf Workers’ Union staged a massive rally in front of the State Assembly here on Thursday demanding work charge of 1071 Kendu leaf workers before the Election Commission of India (ECI) enforces code of conduct for the fast approaching General Election.   

The workers stated that the Forest department had taken decisions in a high-level meeting to work charge the temporary Kendu leaf pluckers and three month’s work for the Munsis, but it is yet to be implemented by the State Government. The file is still pending in the Finance Department from more than seven months, they added.

The Odisha Karmachari Sangram Samiti leader Prabhat Mohanty Nalin Pati and other leaders of the Union alleged that the State Government takes decisions after holding discussions with the unscrupulous organisations instead of talking with real organizations which fight for the workers.

“If the State Government does not take any decisions to fulfill our demands, we will stage dharna in front of the forest range offices of the State by stopping bush cutting and plucking of Kendu leaf,” said the workers.