Tension at Adani Gangavaram Port, 7 held

VISAKHAPATNAM: Hundreds of workers struck work at the Adani Gangavaram Port in Visakhapatnam on Saturday demanding that suspension of two employees be revoked.

Police entered the port premises to control the situation. They arrested seven persons, who were later released on self-bail.

Demanding that the state government take action against the management, Adani Gangavaram Port Employees Union honorary president and GVMC corporator Dr. B. Ganga Rao said the management is trying to repress employees using police force.

The Adani port management on Saturday suspended two employees Nolli Swamy and Sammidi Paramesh after they changed their shifts. Both belong to the fishermen community, whose members had been given jobs under the displaced persons’ quota.

The suspension of the two employees triggered outrage among employees, who gathered in large numbers and staged a protest. Ganga Rao said he, along with Gajuwaka MLA Tippala Nagireddy, former TD MLA Palla Srinivas Rao and GVMC corporator D. Govinda Reddy participated in the agitation.

The management deployed hundreds of police personnel to prevent any untoward incident.

Ganga Rao said their agitation is for hike in wages. He pointed out that an agreement had been reached to increase the wages in presence of district collector Dr. A. Mallikarjuna 15 days ago. But the management has gone back on its word.

Ganga Rao said employees are still getting wages below ₹14,000. The employees’ union is demanding ₹36,000. He said the second round talks on the wage hike and suspension will be on Monday.