Visakhapatnam: Round table meeting on July 21 to step up Ukku stir

Visakhapatnam: A round table meeting will be held on July 21 seeking suggestions from intellectuals to mount pressure on the Central government to stop the sale of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), said Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee (VUPPC) chairman D Adinarayana.

Speaking to the media here on Wednesday, Adinarayana said Ukku stir would be converted as people’s agitation with the support of various sections of people. He appealed to the intellectuals and supporters to give valuable suggestions and advice for the same.

The VUPPC chairman stated that the meeting would be held on 21st of this month at Visakhapatnam Public Library. He said manpower in the plant is decreasing due to non-recruitment. He mentioned that more than 100 permanent employees are retiring every month. If the same pattern continues, the number of employees would fall to 10,000 in the next two years, he said.

VUPPC chairmen Mantri Rajasekhar and Ch Narasinga Rao, co-conveners Neerukonda Ramachandra Rao and J Ayodhya Ramu demanded that 5,000 permanent workers should be recruited to run the plant in full capacity and reopen closed blast furnace unit with immediate effect.