The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : YSR’s remark upsets CCI union

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Wednesday, Aug 27, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

YSR’s remark upsets CCI union

S. Harpal Singh

Employees, workers to press for a public-private partnership or sale

Embitterment among 100 families of employees, 250 other workers of the closed CCI unit
The factory costs Rs. 60 crore that includes purchase of 782 acres of land

Pallid gloom: The trade mark twin silos of the closed Adilabad unit of the CCI look forlorn.

ADILABAD: On its flip side, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s visit to Adilabad on Sunday left behind a huge pile of garbage and deep embitterment among the nearly 100 families of employees and 250 other workers of the closed Cement Corporation of India’s (CCI) Adilabad unit. Going by his response to the demand for its revival, it is clear that it has been earmarked for privatisation.

Hardship

“We will certainly revive the unit but, in private sector,” he told a delegation of the CCI employees union (CCIEU) when reminded of his commitment towards reopening it.

Despondency is replacing the hope among the employees and workers who had withstood the hardships for the last 10 years since the factory was closed.

In August 1980, N.D. Tiwari, then Union Industry Minister and now Governor of Andhra Pradesh inaugurated the CCI, Adilabad. By some coincidence, production in the unit was suspended in August 1998 and the Chief Minister’s disclosure of its privatisation also came in August this year.

Sustenance

The factory had cost Rs. 60 crore that included purchase of 782 acres of land and leasing of additional 2,000 acres for quarrying the raw material. The 425 regular employees had lived in the township that boasted of all facilities.

Over 500 casual and 125 packing plant workers had also drawn sustenance from this unit.

“Following declaration of the CCI itself as sick in 1996, many of our employees opted for voluntary retirement. Those of us who had remained back struggled for its revival at different levels. Effort for revival of the factory was promised even by personalities like Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. However, we were shocked to listen about the move to privatise at this juncture,” observes S. Vilas, general secretary of CCIEU.

Fate sealed

As the fate of the unit seems to be sealed, the employees and workers are preparing to press either for a public-private partnership or a sale that includes the factory’s liabilities. “The Yerraguntla CCI unit was sold along with liabilities. A similar deal in the case of the Adilabad unit will at least protect some interest of the employees,” urges Mr. Vilas.

Attachment

“In the belief that Mr. N.D. Tiwari has emotional attachment to the unit that was inaugurated by him, we will also appeal to him to work for an amicable settlement,” he adds.

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