Parties woo miners

  • 10/07/2008

  • Deccan Chronicle (Hyderabad)

Karimnagar July 10: The main Opposition parties have drawn up ambitious plans to highlight the grievances of the Singareni workers and espouse their cause with a view to consolidate their strength in the entire coal belt ahead of the next general elections. While the CPI-affiliated All Indian Trade Union Congress (Aituc), the recognised trade union of SCCL, has already launched an agitation to press the management drop the controversial decisions like the proposed move to shift the Ramagundam area-I workshop, the Telangana Boggu Gani Karmika Sangham, the TRS affiliated trade union, has also prepared a plan of action to press for the demands of the workers pertaining to the 8th wage board and free treatment to the parents of the Singareni workers in super-specialty hospitals soon. The TBGKS has decided to organise a dharna in front of the RG-I general manager's office in Godavarikhani on July 15. The BJP has already prepared a coal belt specific action plan to organise mass-based movements against the alleged massive expansion of opencast mining and reduction of the workforce. The BJP state executive meeting held in Karimnagar recently has passed an exclusive resolution to fight against the alleged privatisation and outsourcing policies in Singareni. The supporters of former minister T. Devender Goud have proposed to hold a meeting in Godavarikhani on July 19 to muster support for their leader who quit the TD and took up the separate Telangana movement. Meanwhile, Medaram MLA Koppula Eshwar visited the relay hunger strike camp being organised by the Aituc at Godavarikhani and expressed solidarity with the agitators to mount pressure the Singareni management to withdraw the move to shift the RG-I area workshop. He said that the party will organise agitations to safeguard the interests of the Singareni workers.