Dinajpur: Hardrock mining at Maddhyapara halted for a second day Monday as the temporary workers continued their indefinite strike for their job confirmation and payment of salary arrears.

The provisional workers hired by Maddhyapara Granite Mining Company Ltd (MGMCL) went on strike Sunday to press their demands, creating the deadlock in the mining of the mineral stones used as building material, which used to be imported at high costs in foreign currencies.

The project authority, however, warned new miners would be appointed if the strikers, who are 292 in number, did not resume work immediately.

Law-enforcers, including RAB and police, have been deployed on the premises of the MGMCL to guard against any untoward situation, banglanews24.com.bd Dinajpur correspondent reports.

The striking miners held a protest rally in front of the MGMCL gate around 9:30 in the morning. Mostafiz Rahman, general secretary of the miners’ union, at the rally reiterated that the strike would continue until their demands are met.

Meanwhile, Engineer Faruque Hossain, managing director of MGMCL, said, “We have discussed the issue with the outsourcing company. It is decided that new appointments will be made to run the project, if the strikers don’t go back to work.”

According to the union leaders, the workers have been demanding regularization of their jobs since 2001.

On May 16, the workers through a press conference placed their demands, and said they would call a strike if their demands were not met by May 18.

The mining company appointed the 292 workers through a contracting company named Messrs Blusters Service on October 16, 2004 following a governmental decision. According the contract the company will run the work with the provisional workers up to 2012.

Mine sources said that the total monthly cost of mine worker and officials’ wage payments and allowances come to Tk 2.5 crore. About 3.5 lakh metric tonnes of ‘low-demand’ boulder stones sized 80-600 mm remained unsold among stones of six sizes.

A total of 1200 metric tonnes of stones are lifted from the mine daily.

BDST: 14:00 hrs, 24 April 2010
KL/MRH/SMS/MUA