In what seems to be the end of the dispute between Asian Paints factory management in Mysuru’s Nanjangud and protesting farmers, factory operations have resumed since Friday. It was earlier reported that production was shut down by the protesters from January 11 after their peaceful protests for more than 50 days did not yield any result. The production was allowed to resume after the farmers were convinced with the assurance by the company and district officials.
As reported earlier, the protest was started by farmers who were made to part away with their land for the construction of the factory in 2017. While they were promised a job in the same unit as per the agreement then, the management was allegedly not complying with it. The protesters said that they were given a contractual job in a sanitizer making unit set up by the company 45 km away from the site, which was unacceptable for them. Now a separate industrial unit will be set up by the company on the same land to provide employment to these protesters.
However, the protesters, who have been camping outside the factory gate in Immavu village for close to two months, have not left the protest site just yet. They have warned that they will intensify their stir against the company if they fail to honour the commitment.
"The DC (Deputy Commissioner) told us that Asian Paints has agreed to give jobs and the formalities will be completed on Monday (January 18). We have placed out trust in district officials. Though we haven't withdrawn our protest, we have allowed the factory to resume production. This is the last chance we have given to the government and the company. If they break our trust this time, the gate is immediately going to be blocked again. Then no amount of assurances will work," Sachin S, one of the protesters, told TNM.
Asian Paints also issued a statement saying that it is “acting beyond the lines of the terms and conditions agreed upon initially”. The statement has been carried in full below.
A top source in the Mysuru DC’s office said that even the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police had held meetings with the company to persuade them to give in to the demands of the protesters. The official said, “The company was clearly violating the state industrial policy of providing jobs to the land losers. The DC in her report to the Jagadish Shettar, Karnataka Industries Minister and former CM, had said that the company was trying to circumvent its commitment to the land losers, while 100-plus other companies in the district have been following the same. Following that the minister’s office too have warned the company of strict action.”
Asian Paints Full statement:
Asian Paints being a socially responsible company has always acted in the best interest of its stakeholders. Hence, honouring its commitment to the communities, the company plans to end all dispute at their Mysuru paint plant by setting up an additional facility for any alternate product manufacturing on the same plot for the land sellers. With tremendous respect for the land sellers and the Government of Karnataka, Asian Paints is acting beyond the lines of the terms and conditions agreed upon initially.
The company was in continuous talks with the Government of Karnataka and had offered few additional proposals regarding the employment of land sellers. The Government has now accepted the proposal and the land sellers have also given their nod for employment in a separate set up within the plot. The employment offered shall be commensurate with the skill sets and qualification of the land sellers. In addition to the above proposal, Asian Paints will also provide training to the eligible land sellers for a period of six months along with a suitable stipend. The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has also agreed to provide the final list of eligible land sellers to Asian Paints by 18th January 2021.
Asian Paints has already borne an additional cost of Rs. 14 crores in alignment with the Government authorities in the past to set up a Health and Hygiene facility in the Mysuru region for the land sellers. Despite incurring such an expenditure, the brand continued to stay committed to the communities around its plant and works with several NGOs in the areas of health, water, hygiene and education. The company truly believe that strong communities are the necessary ingredients of economic success and hence have gone an extra mile so that it honors all the commitments made to the Government and also contributes to the prosperity and progressiveness of the region.
In the last 5 years, Asian Paints has set up 2 mega paint manufacturing facilities in the state of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh with a total investment of Rs. 2400 crores. Both the plants have an installed capacity of 300,000 KL/annum and together employ about 1200 people. These plants are set up using state-of-the-art technology and are built in line with the concept of ‘Smart Factory’. The plants operate with maximum green energy including wind and rooftop solar and have received IGBC (Indian Green Business Council) Platinum rated certification for its buildings from Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
(With inputs from Shishir Rao)