Our Correspondent
BORDUMSA: "Rumours and biased opinions are doing the round defiling the corporate image as having terminated 19 of its contractual workers at Kharsang in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh," says Ravi Ray, the CEO of GEOENPRO PETROLEUM LTD (GPL) during a telephonic conversations with this correspendent this afternoon.
"Based on the present tax regime, the drastic fall in the price of the crude oil at the international market, increase in the cost of production, increase in the revised royalty capped by the government beside hike in cess and years of halt in the production process have simply led us to invoke and implement the clause 36 (increase and decrease in rates for wages/number of manpower/scope of work) of the contractual agreement with the concerned firms," said Mr Ray, adding "however a few workers who are genuinely suffering for two square meals during this pendamic might be considered after a board meeting to be slated within a couple of days."
"The step was initiated for the sustainable development of the industry, workers and employees, the people and the place as well in long run," I said Mr Ray while replying to the quarries regarding the objectives behind the step.
"In spite of the company passing through a hard pressed time in terms of its sustainabilty for multiple reasons, it has reduced a few employees only that too legally as per agreement keeping more than 77 contacrtual workers intact even without much requirement in the process at Kharsang Oil Field," said the CEO.
If the company's scope of operation enhanced, production process is viable in the days to come, naturally more employment opportunities would be created to the workers," replies the CEO when asked about the immediate company's stand on the issue. On the other hand, local student and youth organisations along with some NGOs have been demonstrating peacefully demanding of the company to reappoint all the ousted employees.
Sticking to their demands, the local tribal organizations, including the Tangsa Youth Association (TYA), the Kharsang Circle Unemployed Youth Association (KCUYA), the All Changlang District Students' Union (ACDSU) and the All Tangsa Student Union (ATSU) have called bandh of oil browsers from Assam's Digboi from Thursday morning.
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