VUPPC demandS to continue VSP as Public Sector Unit

Visakhapatnam: Demanding that Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) should be continued as Public Sector Unit and merged with SAIL, representatives of Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee (VUPPC) carried out a dharna here on Thursday in front of the administration building from 8 am to 6 pm.

Speaking on the occasion, the union leaders alleged that the RINL management was following the instructions of the Union government and weakening the plant financially. The management also created hurdles to pay salaries to the employees, they added.

The trade union leaders pointed out that the management is following the Centre’s orders by ignoring the safety standards in the industry and not providing raw material even for normal production. The management is not paying wages to the contract workers, they informed.

Representatives of VUPPC mentioned that the new wages are being implemented in all the steel industries across the country, but it has not been implemented in Visakhapatnam Steel Plant since 2017.

The RINL management is not paying salaries to the employees on time and steps are being taken to reduce the number of employees, trade union leaders said.

VUPPC leaders D Adinarayana, Mantri Rajasekhar and J Ayodhya Ramu, Varasala Srinivasa Rao and employees took part in the protest.