"We are optimistic about commissioning the refinery project by end of 2013 as 70 per cent of construction work is now completed. Overall progress of the project is about 88 per cent," IOC's Executive Director Vijayvargia told reporters after meeting Chief Secretary B K Patnaik and other Odisha government officials.
Stating that the Rs 29,052 crore project had been facing certain operational problems, he said the state government had promised to help sorting out issues. "Law and order in Paradip area has improved to certain extent and we are now able to work smoothly," he said.
"About 3.5 lakh man days of productivity has been lost due to strike and other agitations at the refinery site," Vijayvargia told PTI admitting that the oil major was also facing labour shortage problem.
About eight trade unions and 12 cooperative bodies activities need to be verified as they used to create problem for the progress of the refinery project, IOC officials pointed out during discussion with the Chief Secretary.
Though the state government had set up a police station at Abhaychandpur to look after the law and order situation in refinery project area, this was not sufficient to face the situation, they said.
"The home secretary had assured us to upgrade the police station to an industrial police station and deploy more force for the requirement of the project," said one of the members of the IOC delegation.
