The families of steel plant employees took out a “merger march” from Candle Junction to SEA Bhavan, seeking the re-merger of SAIL and RINL, as also an urgent bailout package to facilitate full operational capacity for RINL. (Image: DC)
Visakhapatnam: The families of steel plant employees took out a “merger march” from Candle Junction to SEA Bhavan, seeking the re-merger of SAIL and RINL, as also an urgent bailout package to facilitate full operational capacity for RINL.
During the Ukku Vileena Deeksha at SEA Bhavan, from 8am to 8pm, representatives from various employee outfits, including the Steel Officers' Association and Steel Executive Federation of India (SEFI), highlighted the severe financial crisis the industry faced.
This crisis has resulted in an inability to pay wages, purchase raw materials for full-scale production, and meet essential financial obligations such as PF contributions and retirement benefits, leaders of the employees said.
The participants paid homage at the statue of late Amrita Rao and of the 32 martyrs of the Visakha steel movement, before marching to SEA Bhavan. They also paid respects to the 19 victims of the 2012 SMS 2 blast.
Expressing concern over the recent decision to privatize Visakha Steel, SEFI chairman Narendra Kumar Banchor pleaded that steel should remain as a priority sector. He advocated merging Visakha Steel with NMDC Nagarnar to strengthen SAIL and turn it into a formidable steel producer.
The participants also included hundreds of retired steel workers and their families. Leaders of the Porata committee and representatives from various associations, including Ukku, SC, ST and OBC leaders, along with political figures voiced their support for the merger initiative.
The steel officers association urged chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao and Visakha MP Bharat to introduce and pass a resolution in the AP assembly for the steel merger and provide urgent central financial assistance to it.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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