Trade unions seek release of ₹8,000 crore for Vizag steel plant repairs

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Members of various trade unions stage a protest demanding the release funds announced by the Union Ministry of Steel for repair works at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, at Gandhi statue near GVMC Office in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU

The Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee has demanded the immediate release of ₹8,000 crore announced by the Union Ministry of Steel for machinery repairs at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) to safeguard the lives of employees and workers.

A massive dharna was organised under the auspices of the Visakha Ukku All-Parties Trade Unions at the relay hunger strike camp near the Gandhi statue at the GVMC, which marked its 1,970th day on Sunday.

Presiding over the protest, VSP CITU general secretary J. Ayodhya Ramu expressed concern that halted machinery repairs and a significant reduction in the workforce were obstructing full-scale production. He emphasised that maintenance and workforce augmentation require direct intervention and orders from the government and management, calling for immediate corrective action.

Committee chairmen Ch. Narsing Rao, D. Adinarayana, and Mantri Rajasekhar criticised the management and governments for attempting to muzzle constitutional freedom of speech. They condemned a recent circular issued by the steel plant management that threatened disciplinary action against anyone speaking to the media or on social media regarding plant affairs.

They pointed out that the management had withheld performance-related wages for the past 18 months — an unprecedented move — alongside halting HRA, increasing power tariffs, and forcing employees out through VRS, accumulating dues worth ₹900 crore. They also alleged that instructions to phase out the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which has protected plant assets and machinery from fire hazards for four decades, were part of a deliberate move to hand over the institution to private entities.

All-party representatives R.K.V.S. Kumar, B. Nagabhusanam, Padala Ramana, P.V. Suresh, and N. Ramarao asserted that North Andhra’s development was intrinsically linked to the protection of the steel plant.

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