Bokaro Steel Plant Blockade: Jharkhand HC acts during Puja holidays, all 11 gates reopened
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Ranchi, October 18: The Jharkhand High Court on Sunday took up an urgent petition filed by the Steel…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, October 18: The Jharkhand High Court on Sunday took up an urgent petition filed by the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) over the blockade of Bokaro Steel Plant gates during the Durga Puja holidays. The court was informed that all 11 gates had been reopened following the intervention of the district administration, restoring the movement of employees and executives into and out of the plant.
Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad heard the matter during the court’s Puja vacation after SAIL approached the Registrar General, alleging that protesters led by Bokaro MLA Shweta Singh and members of the Visthapit Apprentice Sangh (VAS) had obstructed access to the plant.
The court recorded the assurance of Bokaro Deputy Commissioner Ajay Nath Jha that effective measures would be taken to prevent further disruption. It directed the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police Nathu Singh Meena to file affidavits confirming their statements before the next hearing on October 28.
SAIL Flags Threat to Continuous Plant Operations
In its petition, SAIL alleged that protesters had blocked the plant’s entry and exit gates, disrupting the movement of employees, maintenance personnel, raw materials and essential supplies.
The company described Bokaro Steel Plant as a continuous-process facility that has never been shut down since its inception. It warned that a forced shutdown without at least seven days of preparation could risk the solidification of around 12,000 tonnes of molten steel in the blast furnaces, potentially causing extensive equipment damage and posing serious environmental and safety hazards.
SAIL also said it had approached the district administration on October 15, seeking intervention to prevent a complete blockade and maintain law and order around the plant.
According to the petition, around 3,500 employees and workers had been stranded inside the facility during the blockade, with shift changes and the supply of food, drinking water and medicines allegedly disrupted. These claims were part of the company’s submissions before the court.
DC Tells Court All 11 Gates Have Reopened
During the hearing, the Deputy Commissioner informed the court that the district administration had taken effective steps to disperse the gathering and persuade protesters not to obstruct the plant’s operations.
He said Gate No. 1 had been reopened and employees who had been stranded inside the facility had been allowed to return to their residences.
When SAIL’s counsel raised concerns about the remaining 10 gates, the Deputy Commissioner stated that those gates had also been reopened. After obtaining instructions, the company’s counsel confirmed that movement into and out of the plant had resumed.
SAIL, however, expressed apprehension that a similar blockade could recur unless the district administration and police took adequate preventive measures.
Court Relies on DC’s Assurance
Justice Prasad asked the Deputy Commissioner whether he was facing any difficulty in handling the situation and indicated that the Home Secretary could be called if necessary.
The Deputy Commissioner maintained that he was capable of bringing the situation under control and that there was no need to summon a higher authority.
Relying on this assurance, the court refrained from calling the Home Secretary and deferred the matter for the day. It also decided not to issue notice to Bokaro MLA Shweta Singh and the Visthapit Apprentice Sangh at this stage.
The court directed the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police to file affidavits confirming their statements during the proceedings by October 28, when the case will be taken up as the first matter of the day.
Supreme Court Orders on Displaced Persons Cited
During the hearing, SAIL’s counsel referred to two Supreme Court orders concerning employment claims by people displaced during the establishment of Bokaro Steel Plant.
In its March 5, 2008, order, the Supreme Court directed that 970 people identified in a specified category be considered for employment preference, other things being equal, as and when vacancies arose. It clarified that such consideration did not confer an automatic right to appointment.
In a subsequent order dated September 27, 2019, the Supreme Court declined to entertain further applications in the concluded civil appeal, observing that the matter needed to be brought to an end.
The immediate issue before the Jharkhand High Court was the blockade of the plant gates, restoration of access and the district administration’s assurance that further obstruction would be prevented.
