Partial response to Singareni strike

WARANGAL, KARIMNAGAR: There was a partial response from the workers on the first day of the indefinite strike called by the Singareni Collieries Workers Union (SCWU) to stall work in all coal mines under Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL).The workers union which is a recognised union of the company and is affiliated to All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), gave the strike call demanding implementation of its 47-point charter of demands by the SCCL management.Sekhar, a worker, who was dismissed from service by the management created some tense moments in Bhoopalapally in Warangal when he attempted suicide by dousing himself in kerosene.However, other workers prevented him from committing suicide and Sekhar was taken into custody by the police.The agitating workers organised a rally at Bhoopalapally and conducted a rasta roko leading to the arrest of about 50 persons in Warangal district.Meanwhile, tension prevailed at the SCCL office in Kothagudem of Khammam district when the agitating workers asked other employees to stall the work and come out of their offices leading to heated arguments between the employees and workers.Similar incidents were witnessed in Karimnagar when some AITUC members obstructed other workers from attending duty at Ramagundam.However, police took them into custody and released them later in the evening.Except for the first shift, there was no impact on coal production in the entire SCCL coal belt stretching over the districts of Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam.Sources said that while workers unions affiliated to CITU and IFTU supported the strike call, the unions affiliated to INTUC, TNTUC and Telangana Coal Mine Workers Association were opposed to the strike.In Khammam, only 54 per cent of the work force participated in the strike, while the remaining attended the duty resulting in coal production of 70 per cent from open cast mines and 30 per cent from underground mines.About 52 per cent workers turned out for work in four open cast mines and 10 underground mines in Karimnagar district.SCCL project and planning director Ramesh Kumar told Express that there was no impact of strike on coal production.