Kendrapada, 26th July 2025: The Odisha State Electricity Board Employees’ Union (OSEB), Kendrapada branch, has launched a protest dharna inside the electricity office premises, with over a hundred employees staging a day-and-night sit-in. The protest is being led by Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh president Shantanu Malik, demanding fulfillment of a 9-point charter.
Key demands include:
- Immediate cessation of arbitrary layoffs under TP-CODL (Tata Power Central Odisha Distribution Ltd.)
- Implementation of 8-hour duty shifts in all functional circles in accordance with labor laws
- Timely provision of protective equipment and safety gear to all employees
- Equipping all field camps with necessary safety materials
- Assigning work strictly as per appointment letters
Protesters also raised concerns about employees being assigned 33kV duties while their original appointment was for 11kV or 440-volt work, despite lacking the required licenses. They demanded such irregular deployments be stopped immediately.
Among the prominent leaders participating in the dharna are district president Manoranjan Patra, working president Pramod Samantaray, general secretary Gagan Bihari Lenka, joint secretary Shantanu Malik, circle secretary S.K. Sirajuddin, and division secretary Daitari Jena, along with more than a hundred other employees.