Bokaro: Job-seekers from families affected by land acquisition for Bokaro Steel Plant stepped up their protest on Thursday, blocking two plant gates and threatening to shut five more. The indefinite hunger strike led by Congress MLA Shwettaa Singh near BSL headquarters entered its sixth day.Protesters indefinitely closed Steel Gate No. 9 and Dugal Gate No. 10 and staged a dharna. They warned that Gates 3, 4 and 5, CZ Gate and Mansa Singh Gate would be blocked in phases from Friday if their demands remained unmet.They are seeking reinstatement of displaced apprentice trainees, restoration of the earlier reservation system in Class IV jobs and a clear employment policy for land losers. They alleged that repeated assurances from BSL management had produced no concrete results.“We want a fresh rehabilitation and employment policy for displaced families and jobs for displaced youths,” Singh said. She added that closing more gates could affect employee movement and plant operations.Bokaro DC Ajay Nath Jha asked BSL director in charge Priya Ranjan and ED (HR) Rajshree Banerjee to hold talks with displaced apprentices and resolve the stalemate. He appealed to protesters to suspend the agitation during Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath and maintain peace.BSL chief of communication Manikant Dhan said, “204 of 950 displaced apprentices had been engaged as skilled contractual workers as of Oct 3, while more than 50 others are in the process of getting engaged. 10% of outsourced manpower positions are reserved for displaced and the proposed Rs 20,000-crore expansion project is expected to create additional employment opportunities.”
