VISAKHAPATNAM: Tourism services at Araku, Borra Caves, Anantagiri, Tyda and Lambasingi in the Agency areas of Alluri Sitarama Raju district have been affected as the indefinite strike called by 263 contract and outsourcing workers entered day-three on Monday.
There has been a sharp decline in tourist footfall as people have been cancelling their bookings on learning about the strike, resulting in a revenue loss for the tourism department. Popular spots such as Borra Caves were closed due to the strike and even electricity supply at the tourism facilities was affected.
Regularisation of services, implementation of agreement reached upon with the tourism department in 2010, HR scheme for outsourcing and contract workers, promotions as per rule of quota, and inclusion of daily wage workers under the Andhra Pradesh Corporation for Outsourced Services (APCOS) are some of the demands put forth by the staff.D Budaraju of the Contract Workers’ Association told TNIE that tourist activity in the region had come to a halt due to the strike.
“The strike has had a negative impact on six units of Araku valley, Tyda, Borra Caves, and Anantagiri. Operations at Haritha Resort in Lambasingi were also affected as around 30 employees staged a protest,” he explained.Tourists from West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh were caught off-guard on learning that several tourist spots were closed.Most of them were disappointed as they were forced to return home.
Stating that at least 10,000 tourists throng Araku Valley on each day during the auspicious month of Karthika, Budaraju said, “Now, only a few hundred tourists are visiting the spot.”Despite the issues faced by tourists, the staff unions have declared that they will not call off the strike until they get a concrete assurance from the officials.
Tourism officials to hold talks with workers today
On the other hand, the strike has put officials in a fix as Governor S Abdul Nazeer will be visiting Araku to launch the Union government’s Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra on November 15.District superintendent of police Tuhin Sinha and Paderu Integrated Tribal Development Authority (ITDA) project officer V Abhishek on Monday invited the unions leaders for talks on Tuesday. Tourism regional director Srinivas Pani also rushed to Araku to pacify the agitating workers and urged them to resume duties.
“We have agreed to immediately fulfil most of the demands. However, the agitating workers are demanding regularisation of services. This is a decision which has to be taken by the government,” he explained.Stating that two rounds of talks have been held with the staff, Pani said, “We have invited them for discussions once again in the presence of the district Collector on Tuesday morning.”
Hoping that the talks would prove fruitful, the official added that if the workers refuse to call off the strike, they will have to make alternative arrangements. Further, he expressed that they are trying their best to resolve the crisis because if the protest continues, the brand image of Araku Valley will be affected.