Police resorted to lathicharge when scores of workers belonging to Ballarpur Industries Limited (BILT), Mangapet, tried to barge into the ITDA office at Eturunagaram here on Wednesday. Knowing that Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari, Minister A. Chandulal and others would attend the ITDA governing body meeting, the workers came in good numbers to submit a memorandum demanding government’s intervention. The factory was closed since a year as the management applied for lock-out in view of the decline in demand for the pulp it manufactures. Leaders of various unions representing Joint Action Committee came to the ITDA with about 70 workers demanding that the government influence the management to reopen the unit. They reportedly tried to stop the convoy of Minister A Chandulal but in vain. The workers tried to barge into the office to question him and then the police prevailed upon them asking them to move away. Unrelenting workers gave a tough time to the police. They had to charge at the irate crowds. Several workers were taken into custody and shifted to Mangapet police station to restore order.
It may be noted that the BILT factory at Kamalapuram in the district was shut down temporarily on April 3, 2014. Later in January 2015 the company approached the State government seeking to permit it to permanently close down the factory, but despite government denial of the proposal it was not reopened.
Former MLA and TDP leader D Sitakka condemned the incident and accused the State government of failing to address the problem of BILT workers. The CPI (M) has decided to organise protest demonstrations across the district condemning the lathicharge on workers.
