The strike by 1,700 workers of the Rampur hydro-electric project entered the fourth day on Friday. The workers are demanding a wage hike and seeking compensation for the damage caused to their houses and their livelihood resources because of the project. Even as it rains trouble for the promoter Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam,a joint venture PSU of the state government and the Centre,the Himachal Kisan Sabha has also jumped into the scene and extended support to the agitation. The HKS has termed the workers demands as legitimate and said the joint front of peasants,workers and the HKS would stop work at the project from March 7,2010,if the demands were not addressed in time. The project is being executed for SJVNL by two private contractors Gammon and Patel and is scheduled for commissioning in January 2012. HKS president Kuldeep Singh Tanwar said: Cracks have surfaced in the buildings in the vicinity due to blasting of rocks at the project site. Besides,the work on tunnelling is bringing the groundwater table down,further aggravating the problems of livelihood. Only a meagre compensation is being given to the people,that too to a selected few. The workers are demanding a 30 per cent hike in their wages and allowances. Tanwar said though the SJVNL claimed to have spent Rs 37 crore as relief and compensation in the eight gram panchayats around the project,villagers have not got the requisite compensation.
