CITU: Cancel tenders for VSP batteries' upkeep

Visakhapatnam: CITU general secretary YT Das demanded the RINL management to cancel the tender called for the maintenance of Coke Oven battery 1 and 2 in Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP).

A dharna was organised at the coke oven department under the aegis of CITU and other trade unions here on Thursday.

It was followed by a submission of representation to the head of the department.

Speaking on the occasion, Das said batteries play a major role in steel production. He said the management of VSP has invited tenders recently to handover the maintenance of batteries to private operators under the garb of comprehensive battery maintenance and it was nothing but a privatisation move.

Trade union leaders said VSP employees have been fighting against the privatisation of the VSP for the past 511 days. Despite that, the Union government is weakening the industry in all ways by minimising manpower, spare parts and supply of other materials.

CITU leader TV Krishnam Raju raised an objection to how the maintenance of the batteries could be endorsed to inexperienced private parties.

If the management continues with the move stubbornly, trade union leaders warned that another agitation would be launched next.

CITU department president E Lokesh, Jana Sena union leaders M Venkata Rao and workers participated in the protest and raised slogans to cancel the tender process with immediate effect.