Labour unrest settled in Salt Corporation

Tata Trusts will help TNSC run the plant to its full capacity, market refined salt in southern States

RAMANATHAPURAM

The more-than-six-month-long unrest at Tamil Nadu Salt Corporation (TNSC) at Valinokkam in the district after the workers raised a banner of revolt over the move to ‘hand over’ the refinery plant to Tata Trusts has been settled with workers, management and Tata Trusts reaching an understanding on running the plant efficiently.

After the workers opposed the move to hand over the refinery plant to a third party for operation and maintenance, the management held several rounds of talks and decided to drop the idea of handing over the plant to a third party or Tata Trusts and operate the plant by itself.

The Tata Trusts, which had helped the TNSC establish the refinery unit with an aid of ₹4 crore in April last year, evinced interest in operating the unit for two years after the corporation invited tenders but that was opposed by workers owing allegiance to the CITU.

As the workers feared that this would lead to privatisation of the profit-making organisation, the TNSC came forward to operate the plant by itself under the guidance of Tata Trusts.

“As per the agreement entered into between Tata Trusts and the TNSC while establishing the plant, we will only help the TNSC efficiently run the plant to its full capacity in the larger interest of the Corporation and the workers,” S. Lakshman of Tata Trusts said.

A third party auditing had revealed that the plant was being operated with some lacunas and Tata Trusts would address the lacunas and help the TNSC recruit skilled persons, he told The Hindu here on Tuesday. Tata Trusts would also help the TNSC market the refined salt in southern States, he said.

P.K. Dillikumar, General Manager, TNSC, said the corporation would run the plant on three shifts and step up production with the help of Tata Trusts. Production of refined salt would go up from the present 1,000 tonnes per month to about 4,000 tonnes, he said.

Expressing satisfaction over the arrangement, K. Pachammal, president of the CITU-affiliated Workers Federation, wanted the TNSC to sign an agreement with the workers to this effect. He also wanted the corporation to collect the outstanding amount of about ₹7 crore and pay the salaries to the workers on time.