‘Maha padayatra’ organised to save Vizag Steel Plant

Visakhapatnam: Demanding the Central government to withdraw the decision to privatise Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) and announce it before elections, trade unions organised a ‘maha padayatra’ in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

The yatra started at Kurmannapalem relay hunger strike camp and reached the Mahatma Gandhi statue of the GVMC. The trek continued via Vadlapudi, Srinagar, Old Gajuwaka, BHPV, NAD, Kancharapalem through the National Highway.

As thousands of people took part in the 22-km- long walk, traffic blocks were witnessed at various junctions. Gajuwaka MLA Tippala Nagireddy, Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari and former MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao extended their support to the protest.

Speaking on the occasion, Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee (VUPPC) chairman D Adinarayana said that it is unfortunate that the Centre has ignored the agitation of the workers for the protection of steel for years.

He appealed to the public to teach a befitting lesson to the BJP government.

Gajuwaka MLA Tippala Nagireddy said that it is every individual’s responsibility to protect the VSP.

Former MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao alleged that due to the failure of the YSR Congress party, the BJP government was moving towards privatisation.

VUPPC chairman Ch Narasinga Rao and representatives J Ayodhya Ramu, Neerukonda Ramachandra Rao, Varasala Srinivasa Rao and Mantri Rajasekhar, among others, were present.