All-Party Forum demand permanent solution for VSP displaced

Visakhapatnam, Feb 1 (UNI) The Telugu Desam Party, the CPI(M), the CPI and the BJP today said providing employment to eligible and qualified people from the displaced families of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) could be the permanent and lasting solution to their rehabilitation problems.

Addressing a joint press conference here, TDP Urban President CMA Zaheer Ahmed claimed that the 108-day hunger strike by the Rehabilitation Card (R-Card) holders, seeking employment in the second phase expansion programme of the VSP, had not pushed either the VSP management or the State government to find a solution to the long standing problem.

Even though more than 8,000 R-Card holders amongst a total of 15,000 displaced were yet to be provided employment, the VSP management was issuing notifications for employment, even to posts of permanent nature, on contract basis and employing people from outside and other states, he added.

CPI(M) District Secretary Narsinga Rao said the management had in its possession only seven acres of land for a ten million tonne plant and the excess land was being let out to public as well as private organisations on lease.

CPI City Secretary Raghavendra Rao demanded that if the displaced R-Card holders were not qualified for employment, they should be given a package of Rs five lakh or a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000 for their family maintenance.

BJP City president P Narayana Rao, welcoming the establishment of industries for the economic development of the country, however, stressed the need for a permanent settlement of the displaced families.

The all-party action forum reiterated that the struggle would be intensified till a solution of permanent nature was arrived at.

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