The workers and peasants are on a warpath since a month now at Jhakri, about 135 kms. from Shimla, where the construction work of the 1500 MW projects is currently on. After the privatisation of power projects in the state, several MNCs have stepped in collaboration with Indian companies. These MNCs through local contractors have engaged thousands of workers from Bihar and Orissa.

The CITU took up the demands of the workers, and it should be noted that more than 200 workers have died since 1993, due to extremely high temperature in the underground tunnels. While the Kisan Sabha took up the cause of the peasants and the locals of the region. Highlighting the inhuman treatment being meted out to the workers, the CITU formed a union in the Continental Foundation Joint Venture (CFJV), first of all. The other big MNCs operating in the project are Italy based Chameleon Company Foundation, Korean Hyundai, Nathpa Jhakri Joint Venture and Jai prakash Industries, the umbrella organisation controlling the overall work is the NJPC. As usual, all these MNCs have been exploiting the workers, and greasing the palms of the ruling parties, and senior government officials.

Majority of the workers working in this project are suffering from serious diseases like TB and Asthma due to adverse conditions created by construction work. Compensation being paid to the workers is meagre, and this too began after the state Human Rights Commission directed the NJPC to create a compensation fund.

On January 25th, the workers of the NJJV, invited the CITU leadership to address their general body meeting. This was done after the workers were dismayed with the INTUC, which was till now controlling the recognised union. The INTUC was readily acceptable to the management, as it had given an undertaking to the management that it would never raise any economic demand, nor would it strike work. The management in return, rewarded the INTUC leadership with two vehicles. It was under these circumstances that the workers came to the CITU fold. In this general body meeting, the workers of the NJJV announced their decision to affiliated their union with the CITU.

Subsequently the CITU submitted a demand charter the managements of the CFJV and the NJJV, demanding equal pay for equal work, a condition that both the managements had agreed to follow in principle, at the time of signing the agreement with the NJPC. Meanwhile, the Kisan Sabha organised the peasants of the region , as the construction of the project has adversely affected the local people in many ways. Adequate compensation has not been paid to those people, the lands of whom were acquired for the construction of the project. This had forced many to knock the doors of the High Court, which has awarded a compensation of Rs one lakh per Bigha of land.

The locals were promised jobs in the agreement, at the rate of one person per family, but till date, only 52 local people have been employed ! Out of the total 5,000 workers employed in the project, most of them are from outside the state.

The blasting at the construction sites has led to big cracks in the houses of the local people. Drinking water sources have dried up, the grazing grass of the meadows is fast vanishing. Apart from this the environmental and ecological balance of the region has been severely impaired. The Kisan Sabha took up all these issues.

The CITU and the Kisan Sabha launched simultaneous movements. The CITU gave a strike call in the CFJV and the NJJV. The strike was complete in the both the companies. The CFJV management reached an agreement with the CITU, accepting the demands of the workers and the strike was called off in this venture. On the other hand, the NJJV management kept on avoiding the holding of talks, with the agitating workers.

The state BJP government, in its loyalty towards the MNCs began crack down on the workers and peasants on March 12. In the state assembly, both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress opposed the demands of the workers, and openly supported the view of the management under the garb of industrial peace. It is notable that during the strike not even a single violent incident had taken place.

On March 12, the CITU and the Kisan Sabha had given a call for a joint rally at Jhakri. The police and the Shimla district administration made all arrangements to prevent the rally from taking place, by threatening and chasing the workers away. The transport corporation buses on that day were highjacked by the police, workers were forcibly pushed into them, and the workers were taken to far off places, to prevent their participation in the rally. General public and especially school children travelling in the buses, to reach their examination centres were ordered to vacate the buses. The police arrested more than 1,ooo workers and peasants that day, including the Kisan Sabha State secretary Dr Onkar Shad, CITU vice-president Jagat Ram and state DYFI convenor Tikender Singh. The CITU state president Rakesh Singha had to go underground to evade arrest. All these incidents took place in the presence of CITU all-India secretary Tapan Sen, who was there to address the rally.

From that day onwards, police and district administration with the help of NJJV management, has unleashed a reign of terror. The camps of workers are being raided, and they are being forced to resume duty at gunpoint. The local villagers have been threatened of dire consequences, if they moved out of their villages. But despite severe respression, they have failed in all their efforts to break the strike.

All the democratic mass organisations registered their statewide protest against the police atrocities on March 16. Protest demonstrations were held at Mandi, Hamirpur, Paonta Sahib, Parwanoo, Dharamshala and Una. At Shimla, a rally was held outside the state assembly. Meanwhile, the workers of the CFJV also joined the solidarity strike. A delegation of the CPI(M) state committee led by its state secretary, Mohar Singh, met the DGP of the state, and registered their protest against the police highhandedness.

The CITU and the AIKS had given a call for the joint rally at Jhakri on March 17, which was to be addressed by Basudeb Acharya, MP, and Charmin, parliamentary committee on power. the state government in its true undemocratic style of functioning, refused to give permission for the rally. It even directed the SP and the SDM to stop the movement of Basudeb Acharya, under the garb of breach of peace. The local administration cited a false report regarding clash among the workers and peasants to prevent the CPI(M) leader from reaching Jhakri, and tried to stop his vehicle mid way. It was only after his strong protest and insistence that he was allowed to proceed.

Despite all the administrative efforts to foil the rally preparations, the rally was held at a nearby village, and was attended by more than one thousand workers, peasants and local people. Addressing the rally, Basudeb Acharya, strongly condemned the undemocratic methods being resorted to by the state government. Later addressing a press conference at Shimla, he condemned the state government for having failed miserably in not initiating a negotiation with the workers. He announced that the parliamentary sub-committee on power would visit Jhakri soon, to get a first hand account of the prevailing situation there. Acharya said that the Party would raise the issue in the parliament.