Belagavi, 21 May

At least 380 workers were abruptly terminated from the Shivsagar Sugar factory within one week in Belagavi’s Udupudi village without any prior notice. The sudden layoffs have left the workers, many of whom have been with the factory for over a decade, in a state of distress and uncertainty. The incident unfolded after the new group took over the company just four days ago.

The company was taken over by Arihanta Sugar Industries who had been running the factory for the past three years on a lease basis. The workers, supported by local activists and labour unions, are calling for immediate action to rectify the situation. They argue that the new owners should have conducted a more humane and transparent transition process, ensuring that the employees were either retained or given adequate notice and severance pay.

"We are permanent employees of the factory and have been working here for the last 15 years. But now, we have been fired without any reason. The new owners must continue our employment. We will continue our struggle until our job security is reinstated," said Basavaraja Lingareddy, one of the affected workers.

Hundreds of displaced workers gathered and submitted a petition to Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patila. They demanded the continuation of their employment and urged the authorities to intervene in what they perceived as an unjust and abrupt termination.

Responding to the workers' pleas, Patila has promised to look into the matter. "We understand the gravity of the situation and the impact on the workers and their families. Our office will conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances."

The incident has sparked debate on the need for stricter regulations to protect workers from sudden layoffs. Labour rights advocates argue that this case should serve as a wake-up call for both the government and private sector to enforce and respect labour laws. -Salar News