Bhubaneswar: As many as 200 people under the banner Temporary Launch Driver & Khalasi Mahasangh (TLDKM) staged a protest at PMG Square here Sunday.
It may be mentioned here that in 2003, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) formed a crew of 519 skilled people from 18 districts. Between July and November, when the state faces natural disasters like flood or cyclone, the crew is tasked in rescue missions and, the drivers and helpers in the crew draw their monthly salary of Rs 8,800 for that period. However, in the remaining months the members are rendered unemployed.
Stating that the salary is never the concern but the issue is the six months of unemployment, Mahendra Parida of TLDKM said, “Our employment is seasonal. Even the meager salary is not the problem.”
Himansu Panda, one of the protestors, said, “I have been risking my life and working for the state for the last 12 years. But still I don’t have a permanent job status or a regular flow of income. Our only demand is to regularise our jobs by making us involve in other departments during the safe period.”
Further TLDKM threatened not to cooperate with the government during flood and rescue operations if their demands are not fulfilled with immediate effect.