Berhampur: Family members of Basant Kumar Sethi (28) heaved a sigh of relief after he arrived at his home at Tarinipalli in Rambha area in Ganjam district on Friday evening. Basant along with three other Odia youths was stranded at Muscat in Oman after the company in which they worked terminated them.
After intervention of the chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the ministry of external affairs took steps for their repartition from Oman. “We thank both the state govt and Centre for our safe return,” said Basant Kumar Parida (29), another labourer, of Hatipadapalli near Polasara. Two other labourers are from Patharapunji in Sanakhemundi block. “We took them to their respective villages after they arrived in Bhubaneswar,” said Barsha Rani Jena, district labour officer (DLO), Chhatrapur. Earlier, they released a video message seeking the govt’s help for their safe return.
After being selected in an interview by a private agency in Visakhapatnam, all labourers went to Oman to work in a construction company as plumbers in Sept last year. They were assured to be provided with Rs 50,000 per month along with food and accommodation. But the company provided only Rs 25,000 per month after two months, said Sethi.