Left parties blame Centre, officials for delay in supply of coking coal to VSP

Efforts are being made to push the steel plant into losses by creating problems in the supply of raw material, they allege

CITU State general secretary Ch. Narasinga Rao addressing the media in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU

The Left parties and their affiliated trade unions are up in arms against the managements of Adani Gangavaram Port, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) and the BJP-led NDA government, alleging that efforts were being made to push the steel plant into losses by creating problems in the supply of raw material.

At separate media conferences on April 18 (Thursday), CITU State general secretary Ch. Narasinga Rao and CPI State assistant secretary J.V.S.N. Murthy alleged that the Adani group had failed to regularise the services of the port workers hailing from Gangavaram and Dibbapalem villages who were displaced to facilitate the establishment of the port, as per the agreement.

The villagers, they said, had been working as contract employees for more than a decade with wages in the range between ₹10,000 and ₹15,000 a month, while the employees in the payroll of Adani Gangavaram Port were being paid up to ₹1 lakh a month for the same work.

The workers have been protesting, demanding equal pay for equal work and regularisation of their services.

Mr. Narasinga Rao alleged that the steel plant management had failed to take proactive steps to procure 30,000 tonnes of coking coal lying at the stockyard of Gangavaram Port, which is adjacent to the steel plant. “The VSP should own the failure to procure the stock on time, resulting in a drop in production,” he said.

Mr. Murthy alleged that the Adani group was depriving the workers of their rights by not regularising their services in violation of the assurances given to them. The Adani group has increased the charges for handling cargo for the VSP. “The BJP leaders are appealing to the Gangavaram port workers to call off their protest to prevent losses to the VSP, instead of advising the port management to resolve the disputes and prevent delays in the supply of coking coal to the steel plant,” he said.

The two leaders demanded early settlement of the demands of the port workers and ensure uninterrupted supply of raw material to the VSP.

CITU district general secretary R.K.S.V. Kumar, AITUC district general secretary G.S.J. Atchuta Rao and CPI district secretary M. Pydiraju were present.