TRS protests privatisation of four SCCL coal blocks

ADILABAD: The Telangana Boggu Gani Karmika Sangam affiliated to the TRS on Thursday served a strike notice on the Singareni Collieries management, seeking withdrawal of four SCCL coal blocks from auction by the Union Ministry of Coal. MLC Kavitha is honorary president of the Sangham.

After the issue of procurement of paddy, the TRS opened a new front against the BJP-led central government with a view also to fixing the state BJP leadership on privatization of the four coal blocks. The four are the Kalyanikhani block-6, Koyagudem block-3, Sathupalli block-3 and Shravanapalli of SCCL.  

The notice said the Sangham will lead a strike on or after December 9 against the privatization. Its president Venkata Rao served the notice on the CMD of SCCL.

The SCCL is spread over the four erstwhile Adilabad, Karimnagar, Khammam, and Warangal districts. Any issue related to SCCL will have an impact on 25 assembly constituencies in the state. The ruling TRS party is aiming to move closer to the people by taking up various issues after the party’s humiliating defeat at the hands of the BJP in the recent Huzurabad bye-election.

In its aftermath, the TRS first took up the issue of non-procurement of paddy from Telangana by the central government and staged Maha Dharnas across the state demanding that the Centre procure paddy from the state without further delay.  

The TRS, it is surmised, is now trying to turn the mood of the people of coal belt areas and coal mine workers of Singareni against the BJP and its policies. The BJP has also intensified its efforts to spread its influence in the coal belt areas through its BMS-affiliated coal workers’ union. Notably, some leaders of other unions recently joined the BMS in the Mancherial district.

The other demands of TRS include enhancement of the age from 35 to 40 for dependants of medically invalidated and deceased employees, correction of alias names of workers -- that is, one in SCCL records and other in the records at their native places – and employment opportunities to the dependents of the unfit employees.

The strike notice also demanded that these dependents be allowed to apply for jobs even after they crossed age 35, under specific circumstances.