Employees to serve indefinite strike notice on RINL CMD on March 11

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee will serve a notice for indefinite strike on the CMD of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, on Thursday afternoon, said  D Adinarayana, chairman of the committee and president of the steel plant’s recognised union. Speaking to TNIE here on Wednesday, Adinarayana said the union would simultaneously serve the strike notice on the labour commissioner.

Department-wise meetings of employees will be held at the plant from Thursday to mobilise support for the agitation chalked out by the JAC on Tuesday. He said in addition to the action plan announced earlier, they  were contemplating a ‘Chalo Delhi’ programme with over 1,000  steel employees. Following the success of national highway blockade at Kurmannapalem Junction, the committee is planning to hold a ‘Rasta Roko’ on national highways in the 13 districts of the State as part of intensifying the agitation across the State. Dates of ‘Chalo Delhi and blockade on the national highways will be finalised soon, Adinarayana said. 

The committee took exception to the alleged statement of Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur that the Centre will close the steel plant if strategic sale doesn’t materialise.“The agitation at the administrative block was a huge success due to instant support extended by the employees. Apart from oustees, steel employees and local people participated in the ‘Rasta roko’ at Kurmannapalem Junction,” he said and added that they suspended the 30-hour  road blockade on Wednesday for the smooth conduct of the GVMC elections. However, the workers are continuing their relay hunger strike.  Terming Tuesday’s agitation a flashpoint in their struggle, he said it will help them sustain the agitation so as to save the steel plant. 

No need to privatise running steel plants: MP 
Asked about the Centre’s decision to privatise Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy said it has to be seen case by case. “Build new steel plants, but why disinvestment? I am against Air India divestment also. To blindly go on selling, this is not family silver. There must be a good reason why something must be denationalised especially after having it nationalised. In general, I am in favour of market systems. But in a poor country, sometimes the State has to lend a helping hand,” Swamy said. As far as steel is concerned, there is no need to privatise the plants which have been running,” the  Rajya Sabha MP said.