The stalemate over reopening of Zinc Smelter here continues with the Centre delaying constitution of a technical committee to examine various options on its future.
Zinc Smelter was shown as a loss-making unit by the management of Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) a few years after it was disinvested by the NDA Government.
The management in reply to the notices served by the Labour Department showed non-availability of raw material, pollution and other problems as reasons for its closure.
Union Mining Minister Dinsha Patel after a high level meeting had promised to constitute a technical committee to study various options for revival of Zinc Smelter on March 20.
The committee is yet to be constituted.
“We have served prosecution notice to the management for closure of the smelter without seeking permission from the State and Central governments and issuing circular for en masse deputation of workers without specifying the period and cadre,” Commissioner of Labour B. Ramanjaneyulu told The Hindu .
He said the management cited various factors like pollution and non-availability of raw material for closure of the unit.
Agitating workers
The workers are continuing agitation demanding reopening of the unit since the closure of the unit more than a year ago.
Zinc Smelter Mazdoor Sangh general secretary K. Rammohana Rao after representing to Union Minister of State for Commerce & Industry D. Purandeswari and Assembly Speaker N. Manohar said they had promised to take up the issue in Assembly and Parliament.
Mr. Rao said the workers were having a tough time as they had been denied salaries for past three months in violation of labour laws.
