Statewide protest by Trade unions against NALCO disinvestment

Bhubaneswar, June 30 (UNI) The statewide protest called by seven trade unions and political parties in Orissa against the disinvestment in NALCO affected rail and road services in the state today besides paralysing production in NALCO plants and functioning of other central government establishments.

The production in NALCO's smelter plant at Angul and Refinery plant at Damonjodi was stopped by the agitating employees protesting against the 10 per cent offloading of equity by the UPA government.

In Angul BJP Member of Parliament, Rudra Narayan Pany and his supporters were arrested during a demonstration in support of the strike.

The strike, however, did not affect power production in NTPC-Kaniha Power plants, Talcher Thermal Power Station, Rourkela Steel Plant, Mahanadi Coalfield Limited and Paradip Port Trust.

The striking Nalco Associations allowed 100 engineers to work inside the smelter and power plant without pay to keep the units alive, according to Association sources.

The coal supply to NTPC-Kaniha, Talcher Thermal, Nalco power plant was badly hit due to blockade by BJP workers at different places.

Fifty BMS activists, including its leaders Srinivas Rao and Badal Moharana were also arrested while trying to stop work at coalmine.

BJP activists, led by Mr Pany, blocked the National Highway 42 for three hours before they were arrested.

Rail, postal, bank and insurance services in the district were also affected due to the strike. The agitators mostly targeted government offices, Post offices, banks, LIC, Central Excise, Income tax and all other central government offices remained closed for the day.

East Coast Railway(ECoR) sources said four passenger trains were cancelled due to the agitation. The authority was forced to detain several long distance trains at many stations throughout the state as the protestors squatted on the track.

Most of the state bank branches in the state were closed as the Orissa unit of the All India State Bank of India Staff Federation extended their full support to the strike.

UNI DP KK YA RAI1844