Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 08:
Against the reported unaffordable monetary demands of several UG groups and other organisations from stone crushers located at Sekmai area, the Northern Valley Stone Crushers Owners' Welfare Association staged a protest sitting at Pheidinga Bazar today.
At the protest sitting staged by owners of the stone crushers, placards which read as "We are also citizens, think for citizens too", "Withdraw unaffordable monetary demands", "No organisations, both underground and over ground should make monetary demands from stone crushers" etc.
Speaking to media persons by the side line of the protest sitting, secretary of the Northern Valley Stone Crushers Owners' Welfare Association Sukdev disclosed that the stone crushers were forced to cease their activities following monetary demands from 16 different UG groups.
Moreover, many civil organisations while seeking donations often asked for big amounts adding to woes of the owners.
At the stone crushers located between Mantripukhri and Sekmai, some stone crushers engage 40 to 60 labourers.
Each labourers are paid wages at the rate of Rs 82 per day.
After deducting wages of labourers, maintenance cost of machines, each owner could earn Rs 400 per day at the most, Sukdev explained.
The huge monetary demands from the numerous UG groups and threats to lives of the owners and their family members have paralysed all these stone crushers, he decried.
If the monetary demands are withdrawn even after the protest sitting, the cease work strike will be extended indefinitely along with taking up various forms of agitation.
The labourers working at these stone crushers will also stage a similar protest sitting on May 12, Sukdev added.