Tight security for coal belt bandh

By Our Staff Reporter

KHAMMAM, JUNE 18. While unions were gearing up for making the coalminers bandh a success on Tuesday, the management preferred a `no-confrontation' attitude.

``Our effort will be only for mobilising voluntary workers with the cooperation of the unions only for running the essential services,'' said Mr. Hanjura, General Manager of the SCCL Kothagudem area.

Police stepped up their presence in the coal belt area including Kothagudem, Manuguru and Yellandu towns. The unions have allowed voluntary workers to attend on the fire in the coal dumps.

About 800 tonnes of coal was lifted from the dumps found to be burning in Goutamkhani opencast mine four days ago. Officials said there were signs of similar fires in some other places, but such spontaneous fires were not unusual.

Such fires would only result in deterioration of coal and the need of personnel for attending on them would depend upon the scale of emergency. The JAC of unions which is spearheading the strike, appealed for closure of all establishments and educational institutions during the bandh.

According to reports reaching here, some of the coalmine workers have been leaving for their places in view of the continued stalemate. The discussions over the draft agreement and the counter-draft agreement presented by the management and unions respectively created uncertainty over the solution to the strike.

The trade union leaders on Monday made a door-to-door campaign in business localities and sought traders' support for the bandh. They explained to them the circumstances under which the bandh call was given. Congress leaders, including the DCC president, Mr. Chandrasekhar, and the Kothagudem MLA, Mr. Vanama Venkateswar Rao, the CPI, the CPI(M) and the CPI(ML New Democracy) also expressed their solidarity with the miners.

The CPI(ML New Democracy) district committee declared its support to the strike and the bandh call given by the JAC. Addressing a news conference here, the New Democracy leaders -- Mr. K. Rangaiah and P. Ranga Rao -- alleged that the Government was out to suppress the miners on strike and as part of it cases were being booked against those spearheading the agitation.

The New Democracy leaders wanted the government to take the initiative to break the deadlock and end the strike. Prolonged strike would not affect the company but the state as well. The said that issues such as dependent employment, payment of arrears and bonus need not be delayed as the government had already made its commitment to implement them.

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Section  : Southern States
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