WARANGAL: The second day of indefinite strike by coal mine workers and employees of Singareni Collieries Company Limited, demanding revival of Dependent Employment Scheme, saw only 40 pc of 67,000 employees reporting to work. About 60 leaders and workers were arrested in Ramagundem area when they tried to stage dharna and the workers demanded release of their colleagues.
In Khammam too, about 30 leaders and workers were arrested and in Adilabad, police arrested leaders and implemented Sec 144 near all mines. The union leaders have given a call for bandh on Saturday to protest against the arrests.Police forces were deployed in the vicinity of the coal mines. Management had made all arrangements for miners to attend their duty and also provided lunch and snacks at the site.
According to sources, there was very attendance at underground mines, whereas in the open cost mines, officials put efforts to increase production. SCCL management said that on Thursday, the power production by the power plants in state was not affected at all and asked employees to call of the strike.
Coal production increased on first day of strike
Hyderabad: SCCL claimed on Friday that the ongoing strike by its employees failed to have any impact on its coal production. Rather, the SCCL said in a media release that there was an increase in production of coal on the first day of strike, which was Thursday. SCCL said that a 13 pc increase was noted in its coal production which increased from an average of 1,52,186 tonnes daily to 1,72,261 tonnes on Thursday.
It also said that on the first day of strike the amount of coal transported to power plants from SCCL increased from the average value of 1,64,000 tonnes to 1,85,000 tonnes. It said that the amount of coal transported to TSGENCO on a daily basis increased from 8-9 rakes per day on an average to 15 rakes on Thursday.
Same was the case with the amount of coal transported to the NTPC power plant in Ramagundam, which increased from the average daily value of 24,000 tonnes to 34,000 tonnes.
SCCL also said that against the average of 25 rakes of coal transported on a daily basis by railway to power plants in the month of June, it transported 28 rakes on Thursday.