-- Samir Umarye BICHOLIM: Taking serious note of the lay- off notice issued to 48 workers by a mining company from Surla in Bicholim taluka, the panchayat Thursday warned that the company would have to face serious consequences if they do not reinstate the workers.
Addressing a press conference the Surla sarpanch, Sanjay Surlakar told that the company has done injustices to the workers by laying them off. “ The Panchayat has always supported the mining company and now at the juncture when mining is about to begin the locals are thrown out of a job by the company; this is not proper and the panchayat strongly opposes this move,” Surlakar said. “ If the lay- off notice is not withdrawn then we will not allow the company to operate in the village, even if the mining ban is lifted,” Surlakar warned. Panch, Suhasini Fondekar informed that the villagers who have been given the notice are working in the company for many years and has no other source of income. " Most of the workers have crossed the age of 40 years and so will not even get job at some other place and so we request the CM to intervene and resolve the issue," Fondekar said. It may be recalled that a mining company at Surla had served a notice to their workers on July 27, under Industrial Dispute Act 1947 section 25 C. The workers were informed that July 31 would be their last working day. On August 1, when the workers went for work they found the gates closed. There was commotion and the workers called on the Surla Sarpanch, Sanjai Surlakar.
