A delegation of leaders from Arunachal Pradesh today called on Defence Minister A K Antony in New Delhi in connection with BRO's decision to retrench all the casual labourers working under Project Vartak in Tawang and West Kameng districts of the state, sources said here.
About 7,000 casual labourers have been retrenched in the wake of Finance Ministry's decision to cut the budget down to 20 per cent.
Led by Lok Sabha MP Takam Sanjoy, the team also submitted a letter to Antony and urged him to immediately give directive for quashing of mass discharge order of the Vartak authority, official sources said here.
The delegation also informed that 80 per cent of the workers under the Vartak are from the local indigenous populace of the two districts.
"These local workers who are the only force countering snowy peaks and difficult terrain and that instead of providing them difficult and winter allowances, they are arbitrarily being discharged which is against the labour law," Sanjoy pointed out.
The delegation was assured by the Defence minister that every step would be taken to quash if any such order issued by the authority of Vartak.
Antony also informed that the Minister of State for Defence Jitendra Singh would be laying the foundation stone of NIMAS at Dirang, West Kameng district soon, sources said.
Sanjoy also pleaded with Antony to give 'defence security clearance' for establishment of airport at Lumla in Tawang district bordering China, which has been kept pending for the last three years.
On being apprised by the delegation on the repeated attacks on the people of NE, the Defence minister expressed his indignation and concern against atrocities meted out to the NE people in New Delhi. He termed the attacks on NE people as 'national shame', sources added.
