Naidu demands Centre to suspend GO 297

Hyderabad, Nov 19: Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu today demanded the Centre suspend the implementation of Government Order (GO)297, making it mandatory to print the danger symbol of a skull and cross bone on every 'beedi' packet.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the new GO was detrimental to the interests of 15 lakhs beedi workers and altogether the 'beedi' industry.

He said the government had issued the GO without showing an alternative means to earn livelihood for workers and no rehabilitation package, if the industries closed down.

Former Union Labour Minister and Telangana Rastra Samithi(TRS) President K Chandrasekhara Rao and the Union Minister of State for Health Panabaaka Lakshmi were responsible for the issue of the Go.

Mr Naidu alleged Mr Chandrasekhara Rao had totally failed to protect the interests of 2.16 lakh beedi workers in Karimnagar district.

The TDP would protect the interests of the beedi workers in the state and fight against the GO.

Mr Naidu said he would write a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention in the matter to protect the interests of lakhs of beedi workers.

UNI