Dhanbad, Oct. 17 -- The agitation by displaced families and the Displaced Apprentices' Association demanding regular employment at Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) intensified on Friday, with protesters obstructing movement through several plant gates on the seventh day of their indefinite hunger strike. According to reports, protesters blocked gates 9 and 10, disrupting the movement of employees and raising concerns over the supply of essential materials and dispatch of finished steel. Displaced leader Runath Mahto warned that if their demands were not addressed soon, protesters would close all entry gates, including the main gate, on Saturday. The protesters are demanding the recruitment of around 1,500 displaced apprentices, restoration of the earlier reservation system for Class IV posts and a clear employment policy for families whose land was acquired for the plant. They insist on regular jobs instead of contractual appointments and say that youths who have completed apprenticeship training continue to face financial hardship. Arun Kumar Mahto, president of the Visthapit Naujawan Sangharsh Morcha, alleged that neither the BSL management nor the local administration had taken the agitation seriously despite several days of hunger strike. Protesters also claimed that an understanding on employment had been reached during a tripartite meeting following the death of Prem Mahto, but remained unimplemented even after 16 months. Bokaro MLA Shweta Singh, who has been supporting the protesters, expressed concern over what she described as repeated assurances without concrete action over the past one-and-a-half years. The local MP has also supported the demand for employment for displaced families. Meanwhile, BSL appealed to the protesters to resolve the dispute through dialogue and maintain industrial peace. In a statement, released by Chief of Communications of Bokaro Steel Limited, Mani Kant Dhan described the obstruction of gates 9 and 10 as unfortunate, pointing out that the gates are crucial for the supply of materials required for plant operations and the dispatch of steel and other products. Prolonged disruption, he warned, could seriously affect production and dispatch activities....