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Stir hits cargo handling at Jagannathpur

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

Several trucks idle at Jagannathpur goods shed due to cease work agitation of C&F agents at Jagannathpur near Berhampur on Sunday. —

BERHAMPUR: Cargo handling at Jagannathpur railway siding remained disrupted on Sunday due to agitation by the Berhampur goods shed C & F association.

The C & F agents demanded proper security measures and basic amenities for the labourers working at the Jagannathpur railway siding. This railway siding near the city is operational since April last year. As per the records it has been operating round the clock. But it has no adequate lighting facility which makes it dangerous for the labourers to work there at night. Leader of the C&F association Kamana Padhi said many labourers have also met with accidents during cargo downloading during past one year only due to lack of proper lighting.

Although a large number of women labourers work at the siding, the railway authorities are yet to provide toilets for them. It remains a totally open shed without any boundary wall and usually the valuable cargo unloaded at the spot gets damaged due to rains at night. But only one plastic water tank of 1000 litre is available as the drinking water source for the labourers. Lack of drinking water is also disrupting cargo handling process by the labourers, Mr Padhi said.

Apart from it they also alleged that the approach road to this siding is too narrow and unloading space is inadequate. They also alleged that RPF staff were not deployed at this siding at night and taking advantage of it anti-socials usually terrify the labourers especially the women working at night. Due to this a large number of labourers do not prefer to work at night at this place, which delays the cargo downloading work leading to losses for the C&F agents due to imposition of demurrage charges.

The C&F association has decided not to handle goods at this siding till the railways provided basic security and amenities to the workers although it would mean demurrage charges being put on them.

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