The Hindu : Front Page : Union Minister faces protests at HSL

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Friday, Jun 01, 2007
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Union Minister faces protests at HSL

Staff Reporter

Workers demand immediate clearance to restructuring of HSL

NOT SMOOTH SAILING: Workers raising slogans with placards demanding capital restructuring of HSL during the visit of Minister for Shipping T.R. Baalu in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. — Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

VISAKHAPATNAM: Protests greeted Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways T.R. Baalu forcing him to abruptly end his visit to the Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) after signing the protocol for delivery of a bulk carrier to a Chennai-based firm on Thursday.

Just before Mr. Baalu's arrival, workers owing allegiance to the Centre of India Trade Unions and Telugu Nadu Trade Union Congress sprang a surprise by displaying placards demanding immediate clearance to restructuring of HSL and retaining HSL in the public sector.

As soon as the Minister arrived amid tight security, the protesters raised slogans and tried to chase him when he hurriedly boarded the ship along with HSL Chairman and Managing Director Ajit Tewari and Goodearth Maritime Limited (GML) Chairman and Managing Director P.B. Anandam.

In a significant development, he parried the statement by former Chief Minister and Congress MP N. Janardhan Reddy that the stage was set for bringing HSL under the Ministry of Defence. The ship named m.v. Good Providence - the first among a series of four 30,000 DWT bulk carriers being built for GML along with six 53,000 DWT vessels - was delivered in a record time of 20 months from the date of laying the keel. Anticipating trouble, Mr. Baalu apparently preferred not to address the gathering and unveil the name of the ship, which was subsequently done by Minister of State for Mines T. Subbarami Reddy. Dr. Reddy arrived from Delhi via Hyderabad after the Shipping Minister left.

Restructuring plan

Dr. Reddy regretted the protest by a section of workers and promised the gathering that all efforts were being done towards capital restructuring of HSL.

He said instead of greeting a guest with bouquets, some people wanted to receive him with brickbats.

When reporters insisted on a specific response before he left for the airport, Mr. Baalu said the protest by some workers was `relevant'.

The Minister said a favourable decision was likely anytime and scoffed at speculation that HSL would be brought under Ministry the Defence.

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