BILT workers stage shirt-less protest

Kamalapur (Jayashanker-Bhupalpally): The relay hunger strike being staged by Ballarpur Industries Limited (BILT) workers has reached 67th day on Tuesday.

The workers launched the relay hunger strike two months ago demanding the company management reopening of the factory and clearing of pending wages. On Tuesday, the workers along with their family members staged shirt-less demonstration in front of the factory in support of their demands.

The protestors squatted in front of the factory and raised slogans against the management, the State government and union leaders, complaining that even though the workers staging the relay hunger strike for the past two months, none have cared to address their demands.

The local union leaders and the government have failed to put pressure on the company management in reopening the factory and to clear the pending wages. As a result, the workers’ families were facing severe financial troubles, alleged workers G Srinivasa Rao and M Venkateshwar Rao.

Speaking to presspersons, they lamented that wages were pending since the factory was closed three years ago. Since the closure of the factory, protests in different forms were being staged, demanding to restart the production but to no use.

The government’s consultations with the management were not yielding any result. It was distressing that the BILT management is not commencing production even though the government has been offering subsidy on electricity and for procuring raw material, noted another worker Takkallapalli Mallaiah.

The managements’ adamant attitude was taking a toll on the lives of the workers. Unable to face the financial difficulties, workers were resorting to suicides, grieved factory workers K Veera Reddy and V Sambaiah, referring suicide by a worker, M Shanker Rao in December last year.

They wanted the Industries Minister, K Taraka Rama Rao, to take a special interest and make efforts involving the Central government to resolve the crisis faced by BILT workers. If the company management continues its indifferent attitude towards the workers, the State government should take over BILT and restart the production for the sake of the workers welfare, they demanded. The government should act fast, lest any other worker ends his life, they added.