SHIVAMOGGA: THE decision of the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) to privatise the century- old Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Ltd in Bhadravati has invited the ire of not only the workers of the plant, but also the general public. Besides joining the ongoing indefinite strike, people have launched an online protest against the move. After #SaveSharavathi campaign to protest against the proposed supply of Sharavathi waters to Bengaluru went viral, #SaveVISL has now been trending on social media like Twitter and Facebook.
The VISL is a pioneer in production of superior quality alloy and special steel, including carbon, free-cutting steel and case-hardening steel. SAIL, a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel, has five integrated steel plants, a ferro-alloy plant and three special steel plants. One of the many plants that SAIL owns is VISL. However, it is officially facing privatisation as SAIL has invited an ‘expression of interest for strategic disinvestment of the VISL’.