After tension at Ladakh border, Jharkhand refuses more labourers for BRDO road projects

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren had flagged off a train carrying labourers to work on BRO projects on June 13 (Source: Twitter/Hemant Soren)

Three days after flagging off the first train of labourers to work on strategic Border Roads Organisation (BRO) projects, the Jharkhand government on Tuesday refused to let any more workers head towards the area near India-China border.

In a last-minute decision, the Jharkhand government did not let the labourers board the train on June 16, a senior BRO official said.

BRO had catered for the induction of 11,000 labourers from Jharkhand to be employed on road development projects along the Chinese borders. Only 1600 labourers out of the 11,000 could be sent in the first train which was flagged off with great fanfare by the Chief Minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren on June 13.

“In fact, a sizeable number of labourers had boarded the train and were made to get down from the train. The registration of labour was done by the various Deputy Commissioners and Block Development Officers. The train was to depart at 7 PM. We had to cancel the train at 6 PM,” the officer said.

Annoyed with the development, the BRO headquarters had called back its recruitment team of five BRO projects.

“We can try for labourers from other states but those from Jharkhand were well versed with the ways of working in high altitude areas. They knew how the task had to be performed as they have been coming to these areas for decades now. It is unfortunate that after making a great show of sending the labourers, the permission has been withdrawn. The state government officials have not given us any reasons for it,” said a senior BRO official in New Delhi.