Guwahati: An operational crisis has gripped the Food Corporation of India (FCI) Food Storage Depot at Bindukuri in Sonitpur district, as a standoff between a contractor firm and local labour groups has halted the unloading of essential foodgrains.
Purbanchal Banijya Vikash, the contractor firm responsible for transport operations, has alleged that local labourers and their leaders (sardars)— namely Bipul Nayak, Dilu Nag, Sujit Rai and Om Prakash Rai, are repeatedly obstructing work despite receiving substantial advance payments.
According to the firm, a rake of 42 wagons carrying foodgrains, earmarked for the defence forces, has been idling at the Bindukuri railway siding since March 2, incurring heavy daily demurrage losses.
The dispute reportedly centers on statutory contributions. While the contractor firm claims to have transferred Rs 2.4 lakh as an advance on February 28 and a further Rs 8.05 lakh on March 2, labourers have allegedly demanded that EPFO and ESIC contributions be paid directly to them in cash. The firm maintains that such payments are legally required to be deposited through official government portals and cannot be disbursed as cash.
In an attempt to bypass the deadlock, the contractor firm moved to bring in approximately 70 alternative labourers from Biswanath Chariali and Bihar. However, this move was thwarted when local groups allegedly blocked the depot entrance. Furthermore, police personnel stationed at the site reportedly refused entry to the new workers, citing potential law and order risks and communal sensitivities during the ongoing election period.
In representations submitted to the FCI and district authorities, the firm highlighted a “manufactured crisis,” claiming that local groups are neither performing the work themselves nor allowing external labour to intervene. The firm also noted that its own operational bills have been pending with the FCI since November 2025, though it pledged to clear all labour dues immediately upon receipt of verified calculations.
Seeking urgent intervention, the contractor firm has called for increased security at the railway siding and the depot to prevent “unlawful demands and intimidation,” warning that the continued stalemate threatens the regional food supply chain and will result in mounting financial penalties.