Bhubaneswar: Over 70 Odia workers, along with hundreds of other Indian laborers, are stranded in Yangiyoʻl of Uzbekistan, after a construction company allegedly stopped paying their salaries for the last four months.
Some employees were reportedly terminated when they demanded their dues. The workers have been staging a dharna for the past 15 days, demanding immediate payment.
“We came to Uzbekistan for work, but for the last 4–5 months, we have not received our salaries. We are facing serious problems, and no one is listening. We request the Odisha government and the central government to rescue us,” said a worker in a video message shared on social media.
Among those affected are 10–15 workers from Ganjam district employed as fitters, plumbers, welders, and construction workers.
“The company has not paid our salaries since October last year. When we asked for our wages, they terminated us and told us to go back to India,” said Jayaram Sahu from Khallingi in Sanakhemundi block, who has been working as a fitter for over a year.
The workers have been protesting in freezing temperatures ranging from -3°C to 4°C, sitting on dharna for over two weeks.
In total, more than 500 Indian laborers from Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and other states are reportedly stranded across six company sites in Uzbekistan.
“Currently, some engineers and laborers are stranded due to unpaid salaries. Our verification process is ongoing. One worker from Sanakhemundi informed us that around 10–12 people from Ganjam are affected. The numbers may rise after verification. Once the process is complete, we will submit a report to the Labour Commissioner and take appropriate steps,” said Berhampur District Labour Officer Subhalaxmi Behera while speaking to the media.
The stranded workers have appealed to both the Odisha and central governments to intervene immediately to ensure their safe return and release of pending salaries.
