People's Democracy

THE CITU secretariat has expressed grave concern at the stoppage of supply of coal to West Bengal power plants by the ECL management in the wake of an agitation launched by all the local trade unions in protest against unilateral and illegal decision to close down Samla Colliery. The management also has plans to close down 21 more coalmines on the plea that they were uneconomic.

The CITU felt that this decision to stop supply coal was taken at the instance of the NDA government at the centre to to create a power crisis in West Bengal, with a view to pressurising the workers to accept policies of the central government to privatise the coal mining industry.

Despite commitment given by the ECL management that discussions would be held with the unions at the mines level to make the mines viable, the decision of the management to close down the Samla mines was uncalled for, the CITU statement issued on June 19 noted.

The CITU appealed to the Coal India and ECL management to call a meeting of the unions with a view to resolve the dispute through negotiations and not to aggravate the situation further. It also appealed to the ECL management to restore supply of coal to West Bengal power plants without any delay, in order to avert the power crisis in West Bengal.