KOZHIKODE: Kozhikode KTDC employees who lost their jobs recently organized a Payasam Mela this year at Comtrust ground, Mananchira on Sunday. They lost their jobs because the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) refused to extend the lease agreement with the Kozhikode Corporation which had expired on May 31, 2016. The corporation therefore closed Hotel Malabar Mansion.
“KTDC did not take any action on either renewing the agreement or transferring the employees to other units. Now most of them are doing odd jobs for a living,” said Moovi Jayath, coordinator of the event. The employees were appointed on contract through an agency and therefore transferring them to other units would not be possible.
Usha, an employee in the hotel for 9 years says, “Around 20 employees worked here for more than 10 years. Our demand is to give us jobs on a daily basis.” The Mela was inaugurated by Eliyamma, the oldest resident of the old age home Home of Love. The Mela had carrot payasam, mixed payasam, fruit payasam, pineapple payasam instead of adapradhaman and ambalappuzha special payasam.
