VUPPC launches a 36-hour hunger strike

Visakhapatnam: Demanding withdrawal of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant privatisation move and other demands, representatives of Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee (VUPPC) launched a 36-hour-long hunger strike on Tuesday.

The trade union leaders demanded the merger of the VSP with SAIL, allotment of own captive mines and necessary financial support to operate the plant at its full capacity.

They demanded immediate payment of salaries to the workers who have been suffering from non-payment of salaries for the last four months.

The agitators demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make an announcement in favour of the plant.

The leaders recalled that Union minister of steel H D Kumaraswamy announced Rs15,000 crore to Vishweshwaraiah Iron and Steel Limited and proposed to merge Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited in Karnataka with NMDC.

The leaders are appealing to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan to mount pressure on the Union government, stop the sale of the VSP and extend financial support to the plant.

D Adinarayana, U Ramaswamy, Y T Das, Varasala Srinivas Rao, J Ayodhya Ramu, Neeruukonda Ramachandra Rao and other leaders participated in the hunger strike.