Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 26, 2006
Online edition of India's National Newspaper Wednesday, Jul 26, 2006 |
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Kerala
Staff Reporter
KOCHI: The smelter unit of Hindalco (formerly Indal) here will complete three years of closure on August 1. Trade union leaders at the company, one of the oldest industrial units in the State and owned by the Aditya Birla Group, have expressed concern over the impasse, which has jeopardised the future of more than 300 regular employees and nearly a 100 contract workers. The unit was closed and the workers were advised to "stay home," as the company management said it was economically unviable to continue running the unit in the face of rising cost of power. Workers under the banner of Save Hindalco Trade Union Samithi feel that time is ripe to reopen the unit. They say the price of aluminium in the international market has gone up from that prevailing when the unit was shut down. The price had gone up from $1,450 (nearly Rs. 66,700 at the present exchange rate) in 2003 to $2,600 (nearly Rs. 1,19,600) now. The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Authority allowed the company management in January 2004 to draw power from the Power Trading Corporation at Rs. 2.50 a unit. However, the management said that with the wheeling charge imposed by the Kerala State Electricity Board, it was unviable to do so. The previous Government then constituted a committee to study the problem and pave the way for reopening the unit. The Left Democratic Front Government that came into power two months ago too had assured the trade union leaders that it would look into the matter. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan had assured a delegation of trade union leaders that efforts would be continued to reopen the unit. Minister for Industries Elamaram Karim had assured the unions that a meeting would be convened to decide on steps needed to reopen the unit. Minister for Electricity A.K. Balan too had promised to look into the matter on that occasion.
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Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
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Miscellaneous |
Engagements |
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