Collieries are on the verge of closure

Asansol, Mar 2 (UNI) Authorities of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) have recommended closure of 17 collieries in and around Asansol, Chairman and Managing Director of Eastern coalfields Dipak Chakraborty said today.

Speaking to mediapersons at the Eastern Coalfields headquarters in Dishergarh, 30 km from here, Mr Chakraborty said, ''These collieries were running yearly losses of nearly Rs 300 crore.

''However, that will not affect the retrenchment of the present employees as they will be transferred to other collieries,'' he confirmed.

Meanwhile, ECL authorities had already offered two more collieries to be taken over by the state.

However, all trade union leaders, including CITU, a wing of the CPI-M, INTUC, a wing of Congress and AITUC, a wing of CPI and Hind Mazdur Sabha protested against the 'ill-gesture' of the ECL authorities. They vowed to protect the interests of the colliery employees at any cost.

UNI