After tactical handling of a tense situation, the police were successful in forcing the workers of Gangavaram Port to change the venue of their ‘maha dharna.’
Later, the workers staged a huge demonstration at Pedagantyada Housing Board Colony after the police thwarted their attempt to lay siege to the entry gate of the port on the city outskirts on Tuesday.
Tension mounted in the area as a large contingent of police deployed in the area since Monday night cordoned off all entry points to the port and stopped the protesters from gathering at the main gate. At one point of time, a few protesters threw chilli powder at the police.
CITU-affiliated Gangavaram Port Employees’ Union had called for a ‘maha dharna’ to mark culmination of 10-day dharna demanding recognition of the union, revocation of suspension of union leaders, payment of wages on par with their counterparts in Visakhapatnam Port and absorbing displaced persons in permanent jobs.
The workers from neighbouring areas made several attempts to reach the main gate. However, the police, led by DCP R.G. Naik, asked them not to take law into their hands. “As we declared prohibitory orders protests by large gatherings is considered an illegal assembly,” he said.
Talks soonMeanwhile, Gangavaram Port senior vice-president Rajaratnam Naidu held a meeting with representatives of the union and promised to invite them for talks after two or three days.
The port has been developed by the D.V.S. Raju-led consortium in PPP mode after the land belonging to Visakhapatnam Steel Plant was acquired by the government and later transferred to the project proponent for construction of the port.
Union honorary president B. Ganga Rao told The Hindu that despite provocation by the police, they observed restraint and took part in a ‘peaceful’ dharna after denial of permission to protest at the main gate.