VSP unions regret delay in submission of report by Jain Committee

A dharna was organised at the administrative block of the VSP by CITU-affiliated Steel Progressive Employees’ Union for three hours

Visakhapatnam Steel Plant employees owing allegiance to CITU on Saturday decried delay in submission of report by the S.R. Jain Committee, which was set up by the Ministry of Steel to probe the causes that led to the explosion on June 13.

INTUC-affiliated Visakha Steel Employees’ Congress (VSEC) in a statement found fault with the committee for not submitting its report within the time stipulated by the Ministry.

A dharna was organised at the administrative block of the VSP by CITU-affiliated Steel Progressive Employees’ Union for three hours. Later a delegation of union activists called on senior Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) officials and submitted a memorandum.

Among others, union president J. Ayodhyaram, general secretary Y.T. Das, CITU all India working committee member N. Rama Rao and Steel CITU vice-president V. Dhanaraju spoke.

The leaders expressed anguish at permission sought by the high-power committee to extend the deadline from July 18 by 15 days and wondered why even after one and a half months of the blast which claimed 19 lives, no action had been initiated against anyone. Mr. Ayodhyaram said the promise for third party inspection of units under trial as part of expansion project had not yet been implemented. Earlier, MECON was named for third party audit of new facilities.

He demanded increase in compensation amount to the next of kin of the deceased employees by Rs.5 lakh from Rs.20 lakh and steps on a war-footing to prevent recurrence of accidents.

Deputy general secretary of VSEC N. Ramachandra Rao in a separate statement demanded immediate submission of Jain Committee report.