The villagers gathered in front of the plant this morning and after their protest, Dipankar Chatterjee, General Manager of the Kolaghat Thermal Plant, had a meeting with them. Chatterjee reportedly assured them of placing their demands before the higher authorities and reach a solution.

Asim Roy Chaudhury, public relations officer of the Power Development Corporation Limited (PDCL) said the situation may have turned serious if the protesters had not withdrawn the protest, as it would have disrupted normal functioning of the plant.

Biplab Roy Chaudhury, local Trinamool Congress leader who led the agitation, said that more than 4,000 locals had been affected due the land acquisition for the thermal plant more than 30 years ago.

Ghani Khan Choudhury, former power minister of the Congress Government, had ensured the local leader of recruiting the land losers in the plant. But only about 1,000 villagers got the job, said Roy Chaudhury. Now the outsiders are getting the opportunity to work in the plant, he added.

A large section of the land losers did not receive any benefit except compensation against the land. So they decided to organise a movement demanding job in the plant, said Roy Chaudhury.

Ranjit Mondal, sabhadipati of East Midnapore Zila Parisad, run by the Trinamool, said that the zila parisad had requested the plant authorities on several occasions to think over their demand. But the authorities did not take up the issue, alleged Mondal.