Date:27/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/27/stories/2005042709410400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Strike hits mining operations

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The three-day strike by Singareni workers entered the second day on Tuesday and no serious effort was made so far to solve the issue.

The management has not come out with any announcement on whether it is going to increase the interim relief paid now to the workforce at 15 per cent of the basic pay.

According to a company spokesman, the attendance in mines on Tuesday was 28 per cent. He put the loss per day at Rs. 8 crores.

Meanwhile, the joint meeting of the Singareni collieries management and workers' organisations with the Central Regional Labour Commissioner was put off to Wednesday.

P. Prasad, president, Andhra Pradesh State committee of the Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) in a statement said discussions at the meeting `failed.' He cautioned the management that if it failed to take necessary steps, workers would intensify their agitation.

Situation peaceful

According to a report from Kothagudem, mining operations were completely affected in 41 of the 60 mines. Nine mines are working partially with thin attendance while an equal number of opencast projects are working with comparatively better attendance. The situation is peaceful.

While the unions claim the strike was total, the company claimed to have managed a production of 82,000 tons on the first day and projected the same for the second day against the daily average of one lakh tonnes.

The coal despatches from the company are as usual as it had sufficient ground stocks.

In Adilabad district, the strike was total with miners abstaining themselves from duty at all the 23 coal mines. Though the underground mines remained closed for the second consecutive day in Karimnagar, the production was normal.