NLC strike hits power generation; strike to be intensified

Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, Jun 10 (UNI) Power generation at the Neyveli Thermal Power Station was affected by the contract labourers' strike, which entered the ninth day today, even as the workers decided to intensify their stir following the ''failure'' of the tripartite talks in Chennai.

Official sources said about 88 per cent of the workers abstained from work, affecting power generation in the Plant-I, Plant-I extension and Plant-II.

The marathon talks, held by Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner Mathew, NLC General Manager Muthu, AITUC Deputy General Secretary H Mahadevan, AITUC Cuddalore General Secretary M Sekar, Jeeva Contract Labourers Union President Kuppusamy and General Secretary Dandapani, remained inconclusive as all the parties stood their ground.

As against the targetted generation of 2,490 MW of power in these plants, only 784 MW had been generated. In the first plant, 160 MW of power was generated as against 600 MW, 162 MW in Plant-I extension as against 420 MW and 462 MW in Plant II as against 1,470 MW.

Mining operations were also affected as only 4,400 MT of coal was mined as against the per day target of 30,000 to 35,000 MTs in the first Mine, 10,000 MT in Mine-I extension as against 15,000 MT and 7,000 MT in Mine II as against 30,000 MT.

The contract labourers were agitating to press their nine-point charter of demands, including their regularisation, 8.33 per cent bonus and free treatment at NLC hospital.

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