Singareni unions to intensify agitation after Sankranthi

Hyderabad: The employees unions of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has decided to intensify its agitation against the Centre demanding withdrawal of its decision to auction four coal blocks in Singareni after Sankranthi. Since Union Coal and Mines Minister Prahalad Joshi, in a statement in Lok Sabha recently, made it clear that Centre would go […]

Hyderabad: The employees unions of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has decided to intensify its agitation against the Centre demanding withdrawal of its decision to auction four coal blocks in Singareni after Sankranthi.

Since Union Coal and Mines Minister Prahalad Joshi, in a statement in Lok Sabha recently, made it clear that Centre would go ahead with its policy of auctioning coal blocks, the leaders of various unions are pulling their socks up to intensify their agitation against the ‘apathetic’ attitude of the Central government.

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Telangana Boggu Gani Karmika Sangham (TBGKS) along with other national unions – All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITUC) and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) earlier held a series of talks with the SCCL management.

The unions later observed a 72-hour strike from December 9 bringing the hectic activity in coal and open cast mines in Singareni areas in the State to a halt. The strike resulted in a loss of Rs.120 crore to the SCCL.

After the strike, the unions decided to meet the Union Coal Minister in mid-December requesting that the Centre withdraw the move of auctioning four blocks – JVR OC-III, Shravanapally, Koyagudem and KK6 incline.

However, the leaders from BMS only took part in the talks with the Ministry and returned to the State. “We have now decided to chalk out our action plan to intensify our agitation with other unions barring BMS,” said TBGKS general secretary M Raj Reddy.

Some clarity would emerge after the scheduled meeting between the SCCL and unions on January 20 to discuss their demands and other pending issues. Raj Reddy said the BMS would not be taken into confidence in the meetings to be conducted in future.

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