Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Saturday wrote to Union Minister for Steel Virbhadra Singh urging him to provide relief, including jobs, to persons who were affected and displaced by the land acquisition for setting up the Salem Steel Plant (SSP).
The Chief Minister also wanted the Union Minister to accord priority to those who had given land for the plant while filling the 78 posts.
Recalling the agreement reached at a meeting conducted by the Salem Collector with the SSP on April 29, Mr. Karunanidhi said it was decided to ascertain how many of those who had given land for the plant had applied for the posts. “They should be considered based on their educational qualification,” he said quoting the agreement.
In the case of the Bokaro Steel Plant and the plant at Visakhapatnam, the Supreme Court had ruled that priority should be given to those who had given land. The authorities were giving effect to the Supreme Court order while recruiting personnel.
Mr. Karunanidhi said the April 29 meeting had also decided to adopt the policy of the state government in respect of age for recruitment.
“If personnel are proposed to be recruited, the list should be obtained from the Salem District Employment Exchange only. In the event of non availability of suitable personnel, publicity should be made in the dailies State-wide for recruitment,” he said.
Besides employment opportunities, the demands of those who had given the land include that quarters constructed for the employees should be given to them for only the service period and the 99-year lease be cancelled.
