Andhra CM Naidu urged to address compensation for ACC workers

Vijayawada: V. Srinivasa Rao, state secretary of the CPM, urged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to provide compensation to workers of ACC Krishna, who have been fighting for their dues for the past 32 years. In a letter to CM Naidu, he reminded the Chief Minister of a promise made by Minister Nara Lokesh to seek justice for these workers. The cement factory was locked out on May 29, 1993, causing significant hardships for the employees, who have not received compensation or wages since then. Srinivasa Rao lamented that out of 333 workers, 160 have died, leaving their families in dire straits.He explained that the assets of the cement company were auctioned to Balabhanu Enterprises and others in 2003 following a Kolkata Court ruling. However, the new owners have failed to meet the auction's conditions, particularly in compensating the workers. Despite orders from both the Central Labor Court and the High Court in 2015 to disburse compensation along with interest, no action has been taken to date, and numerous discussions over the years have yielded no results.Srinivasa Rao highlighted the stark contrast in land value, noting that the land was purchased for Rs 10 crore at the time of the factory's closure but is now worth over Rs2,000 crore. The outstanding dues to workers amount to only Rs 43 crore, yet they remain unpaid.He urged Chief Minister Chandrababu to prioritise this matter and work towards a resolution, emphasising the promise made by Nara Lokesh during the elections to deliver justice for the workers.