VSP displaced persons take out rally

Visakhapatnam: DISPLACED persons led by Visakha Ukku Nirvasita Aikya Sangham and Visakha Ukku Nirvasita Contract Labour Union on Wednesday took out a rally from Kurmannapalem Junction to Administration Building in protest against Centre's decision to privatise Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.

At the time of acquiring 22,000 acres for establishing the steel plant following the 'Visakha Ukku Andhrula Hakku' agitation in the 1960s, the authorities had promised to provide jobs to the families of the project affected people who surrendered their agricultural lands for the steel plant.

However, despite several decades, about 8,000 people belonging to the project affected families who were given rehabilitation cards, are yet to get jobs. RINL recognised union president J Ayodhyaram who is camping in Delhi to drum up support of MPs and farmer leaders against 100 per cent privatisation, said all the employees, R-card holders and other stakeholders would be hit hard if the Centre was allowed to go ahead with selling away of the steel plant and RINL's joint ventures/subsidiaries. He said failure of the successive governments was the sole reason for debts mounting up to Rs 22,000 crore.

Various unions who formed Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee will be organising a huge rally by prominent trade union leaders in the city on March 20.