Vizag steel plant to reopen soon: Chandrababu

Visakhapatnam:It may take a month for Visakhapatnam Steel Plant to resume production, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said Saturday.

Naidu visited the plant badly hit by severe cyclonic storm Hudhud which battered this port city last Sunday.

Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd, the corporate identity of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, had to shut down the production as the electricity supply was stopped to the city. A week after the disaster, electricity supply is yet to be fully restored.

Naidu said he was pained to see destruction of the green cover in the plant. He vowed to bring back the largest public sector undertaking in the state to normalcy as early as possible.

The chief minister said the plant suffered loss of Rs.350 to 400 crore due to the cyclone.

Naidu also vowed to restore glory of the coastal city. With more corporate coming forward to make donations, he urged them to adopt fishermen villages and develop them into model habitations.

State government employees Saturday announced contribution of two-day salary totally amounting to Rs.125 crore for Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

Employees of state-owned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSTRTC) announced that they will donate Rs.2 crore for relief work.

GMR Group handed over a cheque of Rs.2.5 crore to the chief minister. Gangavaram Port donated Rs.1 crore to CM Relief Fund.