NALGONDA: Operations at M/s Hazelo Lab Private Limited, a pharmaceutical unit in Dothigudem and Anthammagudem areas of Pochampally mandal in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, have remained suspended for 64 days, affecting nearly 1,000 direct employees, more than 2,000 indirect workers, transport personnel and small vendors.
Workers staged a protest outside the district collectorate on Monday and submitted a representation to the district collector, seeking intervention to safeguard their livelihoods.
Worker Sriramulu said the shutdown had left families struggling to meet basic expenses, including children’s school fees, medical bills, groceries and house rent. Employees said around 120 workers met the management at its head office last week to discuss resuming operations.
The management reportedly said it could not reopen the unit until the required government permissions were granted. Although the final report was submitted to officials on October 12, workers said delays in inspections and approvals were prolonging the suspension.
Police and other officials investigating the incident reportedly attributed it to company’s negligence, while the Pollution Control Board seized the unit after finding environmental violations. The action followed a reactor explosion on August 22 that killed two people.
Workers fear losing their jobs if the government does not permit the factory to reopen by the end of October, saying the management could terminate their employment.
In their representation, they urged the Collector to convene a coordination meeting involving government officials, the management and worker representatives, expedite the pending inspections and facilitate the unit’s reopening in compliance with environmental standards.