Workers’ protest turns violent in Selaqui industrial area, stone- pelting reported

By Arun Pratap Singh
my uttarakhand news Bureau 

DEHRADUN, 16 May: A workers’ protest in the Selaqui industrial area today spiralled into violence after the agitating employees came out onto the roads demanding wage revision, overtime payment and improvement in labour facilities. The situation turned tense when demonstrators allegedly resorted to stone pelting outside factory premises and also targeted police personnel deployed to control the unrest, leaving several policemen injured. Police later used mild force and carried out a lathi charge to disperse the crowd and restore order. It may be recalled that this protest comes just a day after the state government announced revised minimum wage rates for workers across different industrial sectors. However, the announcement failed to calm tempers in the Selaqui industrial area of Dehradun, where workers today launched a strong protest in support of their demands relating to wage hikes, overtime payments and labour facilities.

The disturbance led to heavy tension across the industrial belt, with the entire area being converted into a virtual police cantonment following the incident. Additional police personnel were deployed in sensitive pockets while surveillance was intensified with the help of drone cameras.

Employees from several industrial units in Selaqui had earlier boycotted work and launched protests carrying banners and placards. A large number of the workers had gathered on the Dehradun-Paonta National Highway. They raised slogans against factory managements and alleged that their long-pending demands regarding wage hikes and overtime dues are being ignored. The protest caused severe traffic congestion on the highway and disrupted normal vehicular movement for several hours.

The workers also staged dharna different factory premises and accused the managements of failing to address growing economic hardships faced by labourers amid rising inflation. Protesters said the present wages re insufficient to meet the household expenses and they expressed dissatisfaction over overtime payments and labour welfare facilities. Factory managements reportedly attempted to persuade the employees and hold discussions, but the workers remained firm on their demands.

The situation deteriorated sharply when a section of the protesters allegedly became aggressive and started pelting stones outside factory gates. Police personnel initially tried to pacify the demonstrators and restore calm through dialogue, but later resorted to mild force after the situation moved out of control. A tense standoff between police and protesters continued for a considerable period before the crowd was dispersed.

SP Rural, Pankaj Gairola said that a day earlier an agreement had already been reached between the Labour Commissioner and factory managements regarding the demands raised by protesting workers. Despite this, the demonstrators again assembled near factories and allegedly began an unnecessary strike followed by stone pelting. Gairola said several policemen sustained injuries during the incident, though the situation was presently under complete control. He added that police were investigating the matter and identifying those involved in violence and vandalism.

The unrest in Selaqui has once again brought the issue of minimum wages and labour rights in Uttarakhand’s industrial areas into sharp focus. In recent weeks, discontent among workers over wage structures has been growing in several industrial belts, including in Dehradun’s Selaqui area, in SIDCUL areas in Pantnagar and in Haridwar. Following the disturbances, the Labour Department has also stepped up its monitoring efforts amid apprehensions that certain outside elements may be attempting to disturb the industrial atmosphere and provoke workers into agitation.

The officials said the department has now started direct outreach among workers to spread awareness regarding revised wage rates and to caution them against rumours and inflammatory messages. The Labour Department had yesterday only notified revised minimum wage rates and claimed that Uttarakhand’s revised wage structure is better than that of neighbouring states such as Himachal Pradesh and Bihar.

Intelligence sources claim that some organisations and people have reportedly been circulating claims among workers that the minimum wage in the state should have been fixed at Rs 20,000 per month and that the government had ignored labour interests. The officials believe such narratives contributed to resentment among sections of workers in the Selaqui industrial area and fuelled the recent protests.

After the disturbances, departmental officers were rushed to the area and held interactions with workers regarding existing wage provisions and steps taken by the government. Officials attempted to explain that unrest and industrial instability could ultimately affect workers’ employment and industrial growth in the state.

Labour Commissioner Prakash Chandra Dumka claimed that some outside elements are attempting to mislead workers by spreading incorrect information regarding minimum wages. He said the revised wage rates have already been fixed according to established rules and procedures but the workers were incited by suggesting that the government should have declared a minimum wage of Rs 20,000. Dumka said the state government is continuously working for the welfare of labourers and, for the first time, separate minimum wages had been fixed for workers employed in engineering industries.

Under the revised structure, the minimum monthly wage for unskilled workers has been fixed at Rs 13,018, for semi-skilled workers at Rs 13,451, for skilled workers at Rs 13,883 and for highly skilled workers at Rs 14,611. For engineering industries, separate minimum wages have now been fixed for the first time, including Rs 13,800 for unskilled workers, Rs 15,100 for semi-skilled workers and Rs 16,900 for skilled workers. The department maintains that these rates are comparatively better than those prevailing in several other states. However, a section of labour organisations continues to demand further enhancement in wages, arguing that the present salary levels are inadequate in view of rising living expenses.

On the other hand, various labour groups have particularly highlighted increasing costs of accommodation and food in industrial districts such as Dehradun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar, saying workers require better wages to sustain themselves. At the same time, the industrial managements and government authorities have stressed on the importance of maintaining industrial peace, warning that prolonged unrest could adversely affect investment and employment opportunities in the state.

The officials also reminded that similar tensions had earlier surfaced in industrial areas of Haridwar over labour issues and minimum wages, but the situation had then been defused through timely intervention and dialogue by the administration and the Labour Department. Authorities believe that if smaller disputes in industrial regions are not resolved in time, they can quickly escalate into larger agitations.

In the wake of the latest incident, the Labour Department has intensified monitoring across industrial areas and directed officials to carry out regular inspections to ensure compliance with wage norms and timely resolution of workers’ grievances. The department is also verifying whether industries are paying wages according to prescribed rates and adhering to labour regulations.

The department has appealed to workers not to fall prey to rumours or provocative messages and instead place their grievances directly before authorities. Officials maintain that while the government remains committed to protecting labour interests, preserving industrial harmony is equally important for the economic stability of Uttarakhand. With thousands of local as well as migrant workers employed across the state’s industrial units, any prolonged disturbance in industrial areas could directly impact production, investment and employment. The challenge before the government, industrial managements and labour organisations now lies in maintaining a balance between workers’ rights and industrial stability.