NALCO operation affected in Angul and Damonjodi

Bhubaneswar, June 26 (UNI) A dawn-to-dusk bandh in Damonjodi and a protest demonstration in Angul against the offloading of ten per cent equity in NALCO by the UPA government today affected production in the Refinery and Smelter plant respectively.

NALCO General Manager (Maintenance and Operation) at Damonjodi G K Behera told UNI that the production in the Refinery came to a grinding halt following the Damanjodi bandh, called by various organisations to protest the divestment in NALCO.

However, production resumed and the employees joined the plant after 1800 hours, he said adding no untoward incident was reported during the bandh.

The bandh supporters sat on dharna before the main gate of the Refinery Plant and prevented the entry of employees to the plant.

In Angul also the production of metal in the Smelter plant was affected for some hours following a protest demonstration by the ruling BJD workers. BJD Dhenkanal Parliment member Tathagat Satpathy today led the demonstration along with other leaders to protest the divestment in NALCO.

Seven Trade Unions had decided to paralyse the functioning of all Central government undertakings in the state on June 30 to protest the offloading of 10 per cent equity in NALCO by the Centre.

Almost all the major Political parties in the state had extended their support to the call of the Trade Unions to close the central undertakings, including the Railways and the Airlines.

UNI DP SJC MIR KN2230