Scores of workers on Thursday staged a sit-in opposing the management decision to sell away the age-old Shri Bhajrang Jute Mill on the Pattabhipuram Main Road to a real estate firm. Leaders of various parties, including the YSRC, Congress, CPI and the CPI (M) and other trade unions lent support to the protest.
But, the management insists that mounting production costs, labour shortage and piling of dues has forced the closure of the mill. “We also have outstanding dues running into crores as we have been running the mill on loans secured from other States. We also have a reasonable package to workers in terms of gratuity and bonus for the last six months,” says Chairman Davu Gopal Lunani. Trade union leader Lella Appireddy said the arbitrary manner in which the management sold away the land and was forcing the closure, could throw out 3,000 workers out of their jobs.
The management of Shri Bhajrang Jute Mill insists that mounting production costs, shortage of labour and piling of outstanding dues has forced the closure of the mill
