2,500 NLC contract labourers arrested

Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, June 13 (UNI) As many as 2,500 contract labourers and their family members, including 800 women, were today arrested when they laid a siege to the Neyveli Lignite Corporation's (NLC) corporate office, even as power generation and mining operation were drastically hit in the public sector unit.

As the strike entered its 12th day today, power generation had come down to below 600 MW as against the total capacity of 2,490 MW.

The contract labourers warned that they would resort to fast-unto-death from June 16 if the conciliatory talks going on in New Delhi failed.

NLC sources said mining operations were also severely hit as more than 12,000 contract workers were on strike, pressing their nine-point charter of demands including wage hike, regularisation of service and provision of medical facilities.

In Mine-I, less than 5,000 tonnes of coal were cut against the normal production of 35,000 tonnes. In the first mine expansion, the production was 6,000 to 7,000 tonnes as against 15,000 tonnes and in the second mine, it was 5,000 tonnes as against the normal production of 30,000 tonnes, the sources said.

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