Protest against privatisation enters 87th day

VISAKHAPATNAM: The relay hunger strike by Visakha Ukku Parirakshan Committee at Kurmannapalem steel plant gate entered 87th day on Monday. Addressing the gathering, corporator B Ganga Ram said the state government had taken 1400 acres from Visakhapatnam Steel Plant for Gangavaram port with a promise to allot a berth to it. “However, now the state government is giving away its stake in the Gangavaram port,” he said and demanded that the government does not divest its share in the port.Porata committee chairman D Adinarayana, coconvener G Venkata Rao, and committee  leaders were present.

Meanwhile, speaking at the 39th day of relay hunger strike at Gandhi Statue near GVMC office building, workers’ union district general secretary B Venkata Rao said onus was on every one to protect the public sector undertakings. “There used to be a refinery that was run by Caltex but the then government nationalised the company when it refused to give petrol during the war time,” he observed. Venkata Rao said a majority of ports were acting as a security to the country. 

He said the PSUs in the city were providing direct and indirect employment to lakhs of people, and they play a key role in the development of the city. He remarked that the Central government will have to pay a heavy price if it goes ahead with the privatisation plan. CITU city secretary B. Jagan and Gopalapatnam Muha workers participated in the relay hunger strike.