The family members of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) employees participated in large numbers in a 12-hour ‘RINL & SAIL Merger’ protest from the Candle Junction to SEA Bhavan demanding an immediate bailout package to run the RINL to its full capacity.
Their another main demand is that the priority sector status be given to the steel industry.
As per the call given by the Steel Officers’ Association to the merger initiative, the protest was held, said Steel Executive Federation of India, (SEFI) Chairman Narendra Kumar Banchor, here on Sunday.
The steel workers along with their family members paid floral tributes to the late Amrita Rao’s statue and paid tribute to the 32 martyrs of the ‘Visakha Ukku - Andhrula Hakku’ movement and marched from the Candle Junction to the SEA Bhavan.
Tributes were also paid to 19 people who died in the 2012 SMS 2 blast at SEA Bhavan premises.
Mr. Banchore said that unfortunately steel has been placed in the non-priority sector though the steel sector was very crucial for the development of the country and should be kept in the priority sector.
Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) would be a strong steel manufacturing company and would contribute to the development of the country, if the re-merger takes place, he added.
Hundreds of retired steel workers along with their family members participated in the protest from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Retired Steel Executives Welfare Association president Maturi Srinivasa Rao expressed concern that the employees of the Visakha Steel would not get medical facilities even after retirement if it does not continue in the government sector.
