Angul (Odisha): With growing dependency on energy to carter the ever growing industrial sector and over-reliance on thermal power sources, India is spending a large amount of foreign currency to buy coal from America, Australia and many other foreign countries. This phenomenon has been severely criticized by economist as well as policy makers, especially in a situation when the value of rupee is so high against international currencies like dollar.
Since long time many scholars are recommending the government to expedite domestic sources to produce more coals to support India's growing energy needs. However, the erstwhile Congress government was not giving any heed to such proposals. However, with BJP on the center with a full majority and Naveen Patnaik with a never before strong mandate, the situation has changed.
The State Government has recently imposed the Orissa Essential Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA), 1988 in the industrial belt of Talcher for six months to prevent strike, agitation and blockade which might affect coal production and dispatch to NTPC and Nalco power plants.
Though the notification in this regard was issued by Home Department earlier this month, it reached here three days before. The notification that states that all strikes have been prohibited in Talcher coalfield and at two NTPC plants came into force from April 24.
The notification has evoked widespread resentment among the locals who used to resort to agitation to get justice in compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement issues. “The Government should solve these issues before throttling the voice of the people who are at the receiving end and are demanding justice in a democratic manner,” a local said.
Imposition of ESMA, 1988 is especially critical because it does not allow rightful protest by labour bodies which is a direct violation of human rights as well as labour law violation. Now the question is whether people's mandate for a strong government at the center and state mean, 'allowing the authority to violate human rights for industrial development'? Why the employees at MCL must not be allowed their rightful rights?
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