Mangalore Chemicals factory employees intensify protest

The recent Union cabinet meeting did not consider extension of time for MCF

Farmers, administrative staff, freight operators and others joined the workers of Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers, which stopped production of urea on October 1, to protest the Union government’s indecision on continuing subsidy for naphtha-fed fertilizer units.

They stakeholders joined the workers who staged a demonstration under the banner of Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers Mangala Workers Union in front of the Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers complex here on Tuesday.

The Centre had directed naphtha-fed fertilizer units, including Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers, in the country to convert to gas-fed units by September 30.

However it failed to supply gas from the cut-off date even though Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers modernised the plant to produce urea out of natural gas.

Addressing employees and other supporters, Union President K.N. Suryanarayana decried the apathy of the government in taking a decision on the matter.

“The factory and farmers are being penalised for no fault of theirs. GAIL should have laid the pipeline from Kochi to Mangalore to supply natural gas but it could not. The government should have continued the subsidy till an alternative arrangement was made,” he said.

Mr. Suryanarayana said with production being stopped at the factory workers and their dependents are in trouble. Moreover, farmers in Karnataka, who were using Mangala urea are put to great hardship, he said.