Singareni surface workers forced to work in cold conditions as management yet to supply sweaters

Singareni workers have alleged neglect by SCCL management for failing to provide sweaters to opencast mine employees despite falling temperatures. Trade union leaders criticised the company for spending crores on events while ignoring basic worker welfare measures

Kothagudem: Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) management seems to be uncaring about the welfare of its employees as it failed to provide sweaters to workers serving at opencast mines even as temperatures dropped drastically across the State.

It is customary for the management to provide sweaters (warm coats) in the winter season and raincoats in the rainy season as a welfare measure. However, this season the company has not provided sweaters even as December is drawing to a close, much to the chagrin of the workers.

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The negligence in providing sweaters to employees stands in stark contrast to the extravagant spending the company management has been making on events that are totally unrelated to workers’ welfare.

For instance, the SCCL management reportedly spent Rs 10 crore to sponsor a 10-minute football match involving footballer Lionel Messi and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy recently in Hyderabad.

In addition, the management has allegedly undermined Singareni Formation Day celebrations, a major event for company workers across the State. A meagre Rs 8 lakh was sanctioned for all SCCL areas for the event celebrated on December 23. When the BRS was in power, a budget ranging from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 50 lakh used to be allocated to celebrate the event in a grand manner.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Telangana Boggu Ghani Karmika Sangham (TBGKS) State chief general secretary said the management should prioritise workers’ welfare instead of spending workers’ hard-earned money on what he termed as useless events.

He said when the TBGKS was the recognised union in the company, it was ensured that sweaters, raincoats and safety shoes were distributed to workers on time. Now, the recognised union AITUC and representative union INTUC did not care about workers’ welfare, he complained.

Krishna said around 1,500 surface workers serving at opencast mines and braving cold weather conditions across Telangana were yet to be given sweaters. Many workers were forced to spend their own money to buy sweaters.

Similarly, around 12,000 to 13,000 workers across all areas were yet to receive safety shoes this year. SCCL officials, however, said they had placed area-wise indents for sweaters and that supplies were awaited.