The advisers, being appointed by the Centre for the strategic sale of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), will be stopped from entering the plant, the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee has warned the Centre and the steel plant management.
The porata committee leaders and members picketed the administrative building of the VSP on Tuesday as part of their ongoing agitation against privatisation of the steel plant.
The committee leaders described the decision of the Central government on strategic sale as lack of respect for democratic principles and aimed at handing over public assets to corporate groups on a platter. The contractors were not coming forward to participate in the bidding process in view of the public protests against privatisation of the VSP. This was the reason for postponement of bidding twice, they said.
But, if the Centre remains adamant on its stand and sends advisers to the VSP to go ahead with the process, they (advisers) would not be allowed into the plant, the committee leaders said. They recalled that the Union government has admitted in the Rajya Sabha that the VSP had contributed ₹4,043.53 crore to the national wealth during the most difficult circumstances. The VSP has also supplied life-saving Liquid Medical Oxygen to various parts of the country during the second wave, it was offering employment to one lakh persons both directly and indirectly besides playing a vital role in the development of the region.
Visakha Ukku parirakshana porata committee leaders Ch. Narasinga Rao, D. Adinarayana, J. Ayodhyaram, Gajuwaka YSR Congress Party leader Tippala Devan Reddy, committee leaders K. Satyanarayana Rao, Y.T. Das, Muraliraju, Y. Mastanappa, Varasala Srinivasa Rao, Neerukonda Ramachandra Rao and Displaced Persons Association leaders Puli Ramana Reddy and Muthyalu were among those who participated.
Relay hunger strike
Meanwhile, the relay hunger strike, being organised under the auspices of the porata committee, continued at the steel plant arch for the 187th day on Tuesday.
Steel workers and leaders from SMS-2 participated in the hunger strike. The participants flayed the Centre for failing to provide captive mines to the VSP and take steps to make it profitable. They alleged that the decision of the Centre was taken to profit its cronies.
SMS-2 leaders U. Maridayya, E. Srinivasa Raju, Hari Sahu, Ramana Murthy, Sai, Korada Venkata Rao, Jagadish, China Appa Rao and Hari Kishore were among those who participated in the hunger strike.
