Adilabad: Protest launched by youngsters, students for revival of CCI reaches fifth day

A protest by youngsters and students seeking revival of the sick CCI-Adilabad unit entered its fifth day on Friday. The agitators have been staging a sit-in since August 9, demanding government action and citing employment opportunities for thousands.

Adilabad: A protest launched by youngsters and students seeking revival of the sick Cement Corporation of India (CCI)-Adilabad unit reached its fifth day here on Friday. They have been staging a sit-in in front of a guest house of the Roads and Buildings department since August 9. The agitators argue that they would be able to get jobs if the unit was reopened.

The agitators say that both the State and Union governments were showing negligence towards the unit’s revival. They regretted that the BJP failed to fulfil its electoral promises made in 2018 and 2023. They recalled that local MLA Payal Shankar and MP G Nagesh had assured that they would strive hard to restart the factory if they were elected.

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The protesters allege that the BJP duped the public by not honouring its poll promise after its candidates won in the polls twice. They said that 6,000 persons would get employment if the unit was revived. They stated that unemployed youth are now forced to migrate to Hyderabad, Chennai and Nagpur for jobs.

Osmania University Arts College principal Prof Kasim extended solidarity to the protest by participating in a meeting titled ‘Vidhyarthi, Yuvajana Poru Garjana’ on Wednesday. He asserted that sick units would be revived only if the youngsters took to the streets.

Already, CCI workers formed a committee to fight for revival of the sick unit in 2022. They have been representing Union Ministers on the issue since then. The BRS working president KT Rama Rao demanded that the Congress government clarify its stand on the issue on July 22. He earlier led a delegation and met Union Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy in New Delhi, pressing for the revival.

Background

The CCI plant was established on a sprawling 772-acre land at Bellur at a cost of Rs 47 crore in 1984. It catered to the cement needs of north Telangana, Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. The operations stopped in 1996 due to lack of funds, resulting in closure in 2008 and rendering 5,000 workers jobless.

The plant was established with an installed capacity of 1,200 tonnes of cement per day. It created direct and indirect employment opportunities for around 4,000 families. It had given stiff competition to players in the country. It had 450 regular and 2,000 contract-based employees at the time of the shutdown. Of them, 75 regular and 265 contract employees still remain on the rolls.