Employees of the Indian Oil Panipat Refinery Employees' Union staged a protest march on Sunday, wearing black clothes to press their long-pending demands and seek improved basic civic amenities in the refinery township. The union also warned that it would launch an indefinite hunger strike if its demands remained unresolved.
Protest Details and Demands
The protest began in the morning when union members gathered in the refinery township dressed in black to protest against the refinery administration. They took out a Prabhat Pheri (morning march), raising slogans and expressing resentment over the administration’s alleged inaction. Union leaders said that if the management continued to ignore their demands, employees would be forced to begin an indefinite hunger strike, for which the refinery administration would be responsible.
The union had earlier organised a one-day symbolic sit-in protest on June 29 in the refinery township. On July 10, after the administration reportedly failed to respond within the deadline set by the union, employees held another demonstration at the refinery gate and took out a march.
Key Demands Highlighted by Union President
Employees’ Union president Sampooran Singh said the union had repeatedly highlighted the lack of basic facilities in the refinery township. He demanded the immediate installation of RO plants to ensure clean drinking water, a permanent solution to the growing menace of stray dogs, improvement in the quality of medicines and medical laboratory services, recruitment of adequate manpower in the service department, restoration of the proper functioning of the township estate office, and an end to the appointment of Executive Officers (EOs) in the PP-3 plant. He said these were among the key demands for which the union had been continuously protesting.
Boycott of Refinery Day Celebrations
The union also announced that its members would boycott the official Refinery Day celebrations organised by the refinery administration and instead hold a separate celebration by cutting a cake alongside the official venue. Singh alleged that employee welfare facilities provided on Refinery Day and Indian Oil Day had been drastically reduced. He said the union would not participate in the administration’s official programme until employees’ concerns were addressed.
“The refinery administration cannot continue to enjoy privileges while employees are deprived of even basic necessities such as clean drinking water. We will continue our struggle until our legitimate demands are fulfilled,” Singh said.
