Kochi: The work on the prestigious Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) here has been stalled for nearly ten days with a group of labourers associated with trade unions demanding ‘nokkukooli’ (gawking wage) which has been banned by the state government since this May Day.
Interestingly, the CCRC work could not be started even after the district collector, who is also the special officer of CCRC, directed the district police chief, Kochi city, to provide police protection to start the work so as to complete the project of the government in time. It was on September 13 that the collector dispatched the letter in this regard to the district police chief. Even on Monday morning also, around 20 trade union labourers prevented the workers and officials of P&C Project Private Limited from starting the work at the project at Kalamassery.
The collector’s letter said that they were “facing a lot of difficulties from the union labourers who are stopping the work during day time for matters like nokkukooli for materials unloaded using crane.”
