West Bengal: Workers Protest Against Govt’s Decision to Close Down Durgapur Projects Limited

Kolkata: The West Bengal government has decided to go ahead with its plan to close down the power supply major Durgapur Projects Limited (DPL) despite mounting opposition from many quarters.

It has been alleged that the vast expanse of real estate owned by the DPL is among the reasons behind the decision to shut it.

On December 28, the news of massive transfers was made public following which, workers started assembling in front of the gate of the DPL administrative block. The DPL employees’ union affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) led the protest against the transfer notices. CPI(M) state secretary MD Salim later joined the protesters.

Salim alleged that the state government is trying to close down the unit to favour the land sharks; it is breaking the rules of appointment and mass transferring employees. “Against this, a fight will be taken up in the court as well in the streets against the TMC-run government,” he said.

A six-member delegation of the union led by the union secretary also submitted a memorandum to the DPL authorities, asking them to revoke the transfers.

It can be recalled that Durgapur Projects Limited was a multifaceted production centre in Durgapur and was considered to be the pride of Durgapur.  Currently, its two operational units are coal-fired power stations, supplying 550 MW per day. It mainly caters to the industries in the Durgapur steel belt.

In November 2017, the Mamata Banerjee government had decided to merge the ailing Durgapur Projects Limited with the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited and make the former its subsidiary unit. TMC leader and minister Partha Chatterjee, after a Cabinet meeting at the state Assembly, had said that existing employees of DPL – both permanent and contractual – will not be affected in any way.

DPL had around 3,000 employees at the time, according to him, and the focus was on the revival of the DPL, he said. The company has been dependent on power generation for revenue after its coke oven unit stopped operations in 2016.

According to official sources, DPL’s distribution and transmission departments were transferred to the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited and West Bengal Electricity Transmission Company Limited.

On December 27, 332 core employees of the organisation were transferred to different government departments in East Burdwan, Bankura, Birbhum, and Asansol – to departments such as irrigation and land and land revenue. The notice asked the employees to join their new positions by January 2, 2023. Many employees are at a loss and conflicted about joining the departments allotted to them.

It has been learnt that about 55 acres of land of the Durgapur Projects Limited, situated near the Durgapur station are at the centre of this controversy. Furthermore, the process of eviction of 30 urban slums situated on the DPL project land is reportedly underway. A notice has also been given to vacate the residential blocks of the DPL.

Earlier, there were six units of DPL, but four have been decommissioned now. Out of the two operational units, one is regularly operated, and another is operated once in a while. In 2023, after rounds of VRS schemes, DPL has about 1,664 employees including 498 officers.

Talking to NewsClick, Ramaprasad Mukherjee, general secretary of the union, claimed that according to the service rules of DPL, workers cannot be transferred to any other place as their main appointee is DPL itself.