Thousands march 17 km in Chaibasa seeking reopening of ACC cement plant
Pioneer News Service
Jamshedpur
Thousands of workers, villagers and employees of the closed ACC Cement Plant in Jhinkpani staged a massive 17-kilometre protest march on Wednesday, demanding the immediate reopening of the factory and restoration of jobs after the plant was shut down citing financial losses.
The march began from the Jhinkpani Rajka Mines and concluded at the office of the Deputy Commissioner in Chaibasa, where protesters planned to submit a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister seeking urgent government intervention.
The demonstration witnessed the participation of a large number of women alongside workers and local residents. Raising slogans such as “Inquilab Zindabad”, “Mazdoor Ekta Zindabad” and “Adani Company, Come to Your Senses”, the protesters accused the company of abandoning thousands of families without adequate notice or support. Anticipating a large turnout, the district administration deployed additional police personnel along the entire route to maintain law and order.
Leading the agitation, local representative Ramesh Balmuchu alleged that the plant management closed operations abruptly, leaving nearly 3,000 direct and indirect workers without employment overnight. He said the cement plant had been the primary source of livelihood for thousands of families in the region for decades and warned that the closure had pushed many households towards financial distress.
According to the protesters, the shutdown has created uncertainty over children’s education, household expenses and daily survival for affected families. They urged the state government to intervene immediately to safeguard employment and revive industrial activity in the area.
The memorandum submitted to the district administration demands the prompt reopening of the plant and protection of workers’ livelihoods. Protesters warned that if the state government and the Adani Group fail to take concrete steps to resolve the crisis, the agitation will be intensified in the coming days. They maintained that the administration and the company would be responsible for any escalation arising from the prolonged closure of the factory.
