BALCO workers resent BJP MLAs' intervention

By Aarti Dhar

KORBA, MARCH 7.A final decision on permitting some of the striking employees to resume work with a view to keeping the BALCO plant here running was delayed today due to the arrival of a group of Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs to persuade the workers to join duty. The management made a last appeal for technical manpower a total shutdown.

The employees yesterday agreed to let the people ``work without wages'', to keep the plant running after a delegation of the seven unions visited the units. They assured the management that the required staff would be sent within seven days.

On the other hand, Mr. C.W.Devras, general manager (Works), BALCO, said an irrepairable damage would be caused to the plant if steps were not taken within 8-12 hours.

A meeting of the Balco Bachchao Abhiyan Samiti - spearheading the seven trade unions - scheduled for today to work out the procedure for sending the staff to the plant was adjourned abruptly following the arrival of 25 BJP MLAs. The members alleged that the MLAs wanted to divide the unions, while representatives of the MLAs claimed that they wanted to impress upon the employees the need for resuming work.

Earlier, the local BJP MLA sought police protection for the ``staff who wanted to work'', but was driven away by the agitated crowd.

Mr.Rajan Mishra, president of the BJP-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, however, said it was a labour issue and any attempt at politicising it would be resisted. ``We welcome all support but no interference,'' he said, urging the employees not to get carried away by rumours of a divide in the unions or even fears of a lock-out.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Mr, Harinath Singh, general secretary of the AITUC's Chhattisgarh unit, who said nothing less than passing on the management control back to the Government would be acceptable to the workers. Mr Singh said if the company needed money, the employees were willing to buy the shares but no Sterlite officer would be allowed to step on the premises.

Sixteen clerical grade employees were allowed to go inside to make the bills for payment of salaries. The BALCO is incurring a loss of Rs 2 crores a day due to non-production. Of this, Rs 80 lakhs would have gone to the State Government by way of sales tax

Jogi plea to SC/ST panel

Meanwhile in Raipur, the Chief Minister, Mr.Ajit Jogi, has sought the intervention of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, so that ``the voice of the poor and the vulnerable is forcefully advocated before the highest legal forum.'' In a letter to the panel chairman, Mr. Dilip Singh Bhuria, Mr. Jogi said the commission's intervention before the Supreme Court would be a historic decision in the interests of the Scheduled Tribes because the Centre's decision to hand over the control of the land acquired from the tribal population to non-tribal persons, if allowed to go unchallenged, would open up the floodgate for acquisition as a route to alienate tribals from their resource.

The State is seeking legal advice on moving the Supreme Court to challenge the BALCO's sale to a private company under the Fifth Schedule, which prohibits sale of tribal land to a private party. Legal opinion is also being sought on whether the State should move the apex court or whether it would be appropriate to let a tribal challenge the sale.

Meanwhile, Mr. Jogi termed a ``pack of lies'' the Union Minister for Disinvestment, Mr. Arun Shourie's claim that officers of the State Government had been consulted on the sale.

Talking to The Hindu, he said neither he nor any of his officers were taken into confidence. The only letter the Chief Secretary received informed the Government of the decision. Consultations were carried out with the Madhya Pradesh Government, he said adding he stood by his statement that a huge payoff was given to finalise the deal.

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