Belgaum: There was high drama at the Deputy Labour Commissioner's office here on Wednesday with the Belgaum Nekarara Vedike refusing to concede any of the demands raised by Kayakajeevi Coolie Nekarara Sangh forcing the latter to intensify its struggle.

The vedike submitted its demand in writing at the conciliatory "closed door" meeting with the representatives of the two organisations convened by the Deputy Labour Commissioner, N. Nanjundappa.

The sangha was represented by its advisor and senior social activist, Dilip Kamat, acting president, Bhimanna Kanade, and Maruti Dhagennavar. The vedike president, Veeranna Myagoti, its secretary, Parshuram Dhage, and Hassan were among those who represented the owners. The meeting was not open to the press as Mr. Nanjundappa said he was holding a "closed door" meeting.

Soon after the meeting, which went on for about an hour, Mr. Kamat and Mr. Kanade told presspersons that the sangha had reiterated its demands on the restoration of wages and a reasonable increase in view of the Rs. 100-crore worth special package and subsidised power tariff (from Rs. 3.30 per unit to Rs. 1.25 per unit up to 10 hp connections) released by the Government, issuance of appointment orders and maintenance of attendance registers for workers. Even the Deputy Labour Commissioner found these demands "reasonable" but the owners were not inclined to concede them, they said.

They said the owners had cut the wages to a considerable extent during the last three years mainly under the pretext of glut in the textile market in general and the high power tariff. The workers did not raise any objections though their wages came down drastically as they sympathised with the owners, many of whom are running small and medium powerloom factories, they said.

They said as the Government has now extended an olive branch with an objective of reviving the powerloom sector and provided a special package besides drastically cutting down power tariff, the workers are only seeking restoration of their old wages and a reasonable increase in view of the increased profits for the factory owners. That apart, the workers are demanding payment of difference amount for the last three years, issuance of appointment orders and maintenance of attendance register. None of the owners have so far issued appointment orders to any of the workers.

Mr. Kamat said the workers sympathise with small owners and their demands are directed mainly against the big and medium owners, while the vedike is acting as a mouthpiece of the big owners. In fact, the vedike had pressured Harish Vatsyani, owner of 13 powerlooms, who had volunteered to concede the demands of the workers.

Mr. Nanjundappa also told the vedike leaders that the owners could accept the demands of the workers, which are "reasonable". But the vedike remained reluctant.

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