Bhubaneswar: Irked over a purported plan to lease out OTDC Panthanivases in the state, Utkal Prayatan Nigam Employees’ Association (UPNEA) Monday criticised the move and demanded regular salary to the employees.
Addressing a press meet at the Panthanivas here Monday, association president Sibananda Ray said, “Initially there was a plan to lease only 5 Panthanivases – Dhauli, Gopalpur, Bhadrak, Taptapani and Balasore to the hotel industry, but now there is a clear conspiracy to lease out the 21 profit-making Panthanivases to various hotel industries.”
Working president of OPNEA, Benudhara Patra, alleged that Pathaniwas always has been the first choice of stay by the lower middle class and middle class tourists. “However, privatisation of all the 21 Panthanivases is like backstabbing the employees who are working in these facilities,” he added.
“A few days back, we had tried to seek attention of the state government but to no avail. The financial success of the 21 Panthanivases was Rs 31.24 crore in FY 2017-18 and Rs 39.39 crore in FY 2018-19. Despite the kind of profit, why there is a plot to lease out these profitable business centres to private hotels for a period of 30 years? It’s a clear scam by the so called senior officials of OTDC who are playing with the future of OTDC employees,” Patra added.
The future of the employees working at various Panthanivases would be pushed to uncertainty. OTDC hasn’t received any equity share from state government yet despite the profits, said the association, which also demanded regular salary of employees and signing of an MoU with the lessees.
If the demands are not conceded, OTDC employees will opt for mass self-immolation in front of the Chief Minister’s residence
Association’s general secretary Niranjan Nayak and vice president Dipti Ranjan Kar were also present at the press meet.
OTDC chairperson Shreemayee Mishra, MD Sachin Ram Chandra Yadav and tourism secretary Vishal Dev were unavailable for their comments.