Pradhan seeks MEA intervention to rescue Odisha labourers in Oman

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Apr 27:

Union Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan wrote to Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj seeking intervention for rescue of five Odisha labourers allegedly tortured in Oman.

He urged Swaraj to bring back five labourers to homeland Khurda from Oman. He also appealed to take initiative for safe return of the labourers and cooperate them in getting their dues and payment from the company that had hired them for job in Oman.

Taking to microblogging site, Pradhan wrote:

 

ଓମାନରେ ଫସି ରହିଥିବା ପାଂଚ ଜଣ ଓଡିଆଙ୍କୁ ମୁକ୍ତ କରି ଭାରତକୁ ଫେରାଇ ଆଣିବା ପାଇଁ କେନ୍ଦ୍ର ବୈଦେଶିକ ବ୍ୟାପାର ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ସୁଷମା ସ୍ୱରାଜଙ୍କର ହସ୍ତକ୍ଷେପ ଲୋଡିଛି I

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) April 26, 2017

ଖୋର୍ଧା ଜିଲ୍ଲାର ବାଲୁଗାଁ ଓ କୃଷ୍ଣପ୍ରସାଦ ଅଂଚଳର ପାଂଚ ଜଣ ଯୁବକ କାମ ପାଇଁ ଯାଇ ଓମାନରେ ଦୁର୍ଦଶାର ସମ୍ମୁଖୀନ ହୋଇଥିବା ଖବର କାଗଜରୁ ଜାଣିବାକୁ ପାଇଥିଲି ।

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) April 26, 2017

ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ବିଦେଶରେ କାମ କରିବାକୁ ନେଇଥିବା କମ୍ପାନୀ ଯେପରି ତାଙ୍କର ଉଚିତ ପ୍ରାପ୍ୟ ଦେବ ସେଥି ପାଇଁ ପଦକ୍ଷେପ ନେବା ପାଇଁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଅନୁରୋଧ କଲି ।

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) April 26, 2017

 

Notably, Dilip Sahu, Papu Singh, Manas Nayak, Prdip Pradhan and Sarat Chandra Palai of Balugaon and Krushnaprasad area in Khurda district were allegedly tortured by a company in Oman.

According to allegations by the families, the company that had hired five labourers from Odisha in Oman is forcing them for over-time work apart from 8-hour work in poor environment and it had taken away their passports.

The families alleged that they had written to Prime Minister, Ministry of External Affairs, District Collector, Labour Commissioner, Chief Secretary and Banapur police station thrice on March 25, April 1 and 12. However, the administration did not take any initiative on their report.

All the five were hired by Kerala based Planet HRD Consultancy Pvt Limited company through the Contractor Anil Swain of Mathapatna village under Balugaon police limit on March 15 for the job in Oman at monthly package of 130 Omani currency. The families alleged that Swain had taken Rs 70,000 from each person for the job.

Without providing them any facilities as per the job agreement, the company in Oman started torturing them and took away their passports.

When they requested the company to send them back to their villages, they were asked to pay 650 Omani currency (approximately Rs 1.13 lakh) as fine. Even the Company’s agents threatened the families over phone to pay the amount or else forget them, the families alleged.