BGML employees demand reopening of mines

Bangalore, Aug 1 (UNI) Employees of the shut down Bharat Gold Mines Limited (BGML) today urged the Union Government to consider an alternate proposal submitted by them to reopen the mines.

Addressing newspersons here, BGML Employees Union President V G K Nair, also the CITU Vice-President, alleged that the Union Government's decision at a recent Cabinet meeting to go in for a global tender, without considering the employees' proposal, was only to enable its take-over by a foreign company.

Explaining the alternate proposal to reopen the mines, he said the Global Gold Mines Industrial Cooperative Society, formed by over 3,000 BGML employees in agreement with CITU, had proposed to introduce a modified Voluntary Retirement Scheme and re-employ the entire workforce. However, vested interests were stalling the Centre from considering the proposal, he claimed.

He said the workers had resolved to launch a signature campaign against the Cabinet decision and oppose any move to hand over the mines to any foreign company.

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