हिमाचल सीमेंट फैक्ट्री विवाद की पूरी कहानी: 35 हजार लोग प्रभावित, ड्राइवर-कंडक्टर्स बेरोजगार, ट्रक ऑपरेटर्स किस्तें नहीं भर पा रहे; दुकानदार भी परेशान

People give their land to set up a plant or factory thinking that they will get employment, earn money, and run their family, but companies cheat them. One such fraud has happened with the people of Himachal. ACC and Ambuja Cement Company have closed their cement plants at Darlaghat in Solan and Barmana in Bilaspur on December 15, 2022.

In September 2022, Adani Group bought both the plants running for 3 decades, but put a lockout in both the factories saying that they were suffering losses. Also shifted 143 employees working here to other places, but did not think about thousands of people.

35 thousand people lost their livelihood
Today there is silence in both the factories. About 35 thousand people have lost their livelihood. The wheels of 10,000 trucks have stopped. They are standing in the yard kicking up dust. Their drivers, conductors and laborers have become unemployed. Along with these, shopkeepers, dhabas, cleaners etc. of both the areas are also facing the crisis of employment.

Truck operators bought vehicles by taking loans and employed them in the plant, but now it has become difficult for them to repay the loan installments. The closure of the plants which have been running for 3 decades did not make any difference to the company, but the people associated with them have become hungry.

The Sukhu government is trying to find a middle ground
The Sukhu government of the state tried to settle the dispute, but the truck operators are adamant on their demand and the company is firm on its stand. The Adani Group is blaming truck operators for the dispute, while those affected are accusing the company of high-handedness. The situation remains tense. People are shouting slogans on the streets and burning effigies of Adani Group. The state government has formed a committee to resolve the dispute, but no solution has been found so far.

Loss to the government due to low selling of diesel
In such a situation, the government hired Himcon Consultancy, which prepared its report regarding freight charges. Even on this there is no consensus between the two sides. On the other hand, due to the cement factories being closed for almost one and a half months, the state government itself has suffered a loss of about 60 crores in the amount received on VAT due to less sale of diesel. Apart from this, there is an estimated loss of about 100 crores from company and other taxes and also indirectly. On the other hand, truck operators have also suffered losses running into lakhs of crores of rupees due to the vehicles being parked for so long.

However, when this dispute will be resolved then it will happen, let us know what is the dispute and what is its impact…

What is the reason for the dispute
The reason for the dispute between the Adani Group and the Truck Operators Societies is the freight rate of Rs 10.58, which the Adani Group wants to reduce, but the truck operators are adamant on carrying the freight at the present rate. The company had asked truck operators societies engaged in transportation of cement, clinker and raw materials to reduce the rates. The company has sent a letter saying that they are not ready to carry the freight at the current rate as it is increasing the cost of production of cement. Due to this the company is facing loss.

The company says that on October 18, 2005, the government had fixed the freight rate at Rs 6 per ton per kilometer. Societies will have to carry freight at this rate. On the other hand, truck societies say that the freight rate is due to increase from the year 2019, but the company is adamant on the rate of Rs 6. When the government had fixed the rate of freight, then it had said that when the rates of diesel would increase, the freight would also increase in the same proportion. This is where the screw is stuck.

The administration and the government could not resolve the dispute together
Ramakrishna Sharma, former head of the Land Looser Truck Operators Society of Darlaghat in Solan district, said that the Adani Group locked out both the plants on December 15. A notice was pasted at the gate asking all the workers not to come to the factory till further orders. After this the truck societies flared up and demonstrations started. The DCs of both the districts held meetings with the company management to resolve the dispute. 8 rounds of meetings have been held, but there was no solution to the dispute.

The government intervened and held talks with both the parties in Shimla on December 24, even then things did not work out. The meeting chaired by Transport Secretary RD Nazim was attended by the directors of both the parties, industries department, food supply besides DCs of both the districts. An attempt was made in the meeting to arrive at an opinion on the freight dispute, but it could not happen. In such a situation, the government hired Himcon Company as a consultant to solve this dispute.

Freight report submitted to the government
The company submitted its report regarding the freight to the government, but still the matter does not seem to be progressing. A meeting was held under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary Transport RD Nazim regarding this report, but nothing materialized in it. After this, a meeting was held again under the chairmanship of Industries Minister Harsh Vardhan Singh Chauhan to resolve the dispute on the basis of the report. In this also neither the cement company agreed nor the truck operators dared to back down. In such a situation, now the ball of lockout in the cement company is in the court of CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. Regarding this, Sukhu has said that the Government Cement Company dispute will be ended soon.

Livelihood of 35 thousand people affected
Due to the closure of 2 cement factories, the livelihood of about 35 thousand people in both the plants was directly and indirectly affected. About 8 thousand truck drivers and conductors became unemployed in both the plots. Similarly, about 2 thousand workers working in the cement plant are also forced to sit at home.

Darlaghat: In Solan district’s Darlaghat Ambuja Cement Factory, 2958 trucks are on freight duty. In addition 800 workers were earning permanent and temporary employment. Now all these people have been forced to sit at home. Ambuja Cement Plant alone produces 5 to 6 metric tons daily.

Auger: Barmana Cement Factory of Bilaspur district has 2 truck societies ex-servicemen and the other is Bilaspur District Truck Society. There are about 4,000 trucks in these, on which about 5,500 driver-conductors work. Apart from this, about 1200 employees are engaged in wages and other works in the company.

Cement rates also increased in a month
After the dispute, there has been an increase of Rs 5 in the bag of cement in Himachal Pradesh. Within a month, the price of cement has increased by Rs 15 to 20 per bag in the state. ACC Suraksha Cement has been priced at Rs 445 per bag, ACC Gold at Rs 485 and Ambuja Cement at Rs 445 per bag.

It is also difficult to pay children’s fees and rent: Harish
As long as the Ambuja Cement Factory was running, my business was also good. Now since the factory is closed, trouble has arisen. I have been working here for the last 20-22 years, earning well. The closure of the factory affected the business, not even 30 per cent of the work is left. Paying rent has become difficult. Earlier, the fees of the children and all the expenses of the house used to go from here. If this condition continues, then some other way will have to be adopted for livelihood. Apart from Harish, who runs a shop near Ambuja Cement Factory, Darlaghat in Solan district, other people here also have the same problem.

From where to pay loan installments: Jagdish
Jagdish, a transporter and a local resident of Darlaghat, says that I had taken vehicles by taking a loan. Ever since the plant closed down, we have been in trouble. I have paid one month’s installment from home and for the next month’s installment, I am thinking from where to take loan by mortgaging which place. If this continues, we will be ruined. Our household expenses and all other things were running from this factory. Now the salary of the drivers has become tense along with running the expenses of the house. We only demand from the government to solve the problem as soon as possible.

We gave fields and fertile land to the plant: Hemraj Sharma
In the year 1994, we gave our farms and fertile lands for this plant. Everything was going well for so many years. Just 4-5 months ago Adani Group took over this factory and losses started. Hemraj Sharma, a resident of Kashlog in Darlaghat and an employee of the Truck Operator Society, said that there is another cement company here in Baga, which is offering higher rates than this.

If Adani is facing loss here, then call back the previous company only. Our central government is also requested not to give more plants to Adani, so that the future of more people is not in danger. Along with this, there is a demand from the government to solve this problem on priority basis.

Driver brothers get employment back: Amit Kumar
Truck driver Amit Kumar says that he has been driving for a long time. Ever since the factory closed, everyone lost their jobs. Everyone is facing problems. Now no one has the means of employment. In such a situation, the government should tell us how to run our house. This factory should be started as soon as possible. The government should get all the driver brothers back their employment.

Everyone’s livelihood runs from here: Bant Singh
The closure of the plant has also become the biggest problem for Bant Singh, who runs a dhaba outside ACC Barmana Cement Factory in Bilaspur district. He says that since the work stopped here, 90-95% of his work is going on less. The livelihood of our entire family runs from here. Now since the factory is standing, they are facing a lot of loss.

Every citizen is connected to the factory, everyone is in trouble: Mohammad Amin
Mohammad Amin, who works for tire puncture near ACC Cement Plant in Bilaspur, says that he has been living in Barmana for 20 years. Today the condition of this factory has become worse that every citizen is in trouble. The employment of every person in the area is linked to this plant. Due to its closure, whether transporters, spare parts, hotel lines and all mechanical workers, all the people are facing problems.

We request the State and Central Government to find a solution to this as soon as possible. There used to be strikes here earlier as well, but the solution used to come out in a few days. Now the locks have been installed for so many days, due to which it has become difficult. Should be resolved quickly.