Hyderabad: Telangana Sena president K. Kavitha on Thursday announced an indefinite hunger strike from July 20 to demand a Singareni medical board and immediate payment of the state’s pending dues to Singareni.
Kavitha visited the PVK-5 underground mine in the Kothagudem area of Bhadradri Kothagudem district. Meanwhile, she addressed mine workers at a meeting held inside the mining premises.
Singareni medical board among key demands
Kavitha demanded that the Singareni management conduct medical board meetings twice every month to facilitate dependent appointments. Further, she urged the management to continue hereditary employment through the medical board for eligible dependents.
She warned that she would launch the proposed indefinite hunger strike in Ramagundam on July 20 if the state government and Singareni management failed to clarify their stand on dependent jobs.
Additionally, Kavitha urged the state government to immediately clear its pending dues to Singareni. She also asked Kothagudem MLA Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao to move a resolution in the Assembly against the four labour codes if the government was serious about protecting workers’ interests.
Kavitha alleged that employers paid only nominal wages to contract workers instead of the statutory minimum wages. Meanwhile, she criticised the BJP-led Central government, alleging that its policies were pushing Telangana’s coal blocks into private hands.
She said Singareni had around 62,000 regular workers before Telangana’s formation. However, she claimed the workforce had now fallen to around 38,000.
Kavitha also criticised BRS leader Harish Rao over his recent remarks. Finally, she alleged that the BRS received ₹1,400 crore through quid pro quo arrangements. She demanded an inquiry into those funds and urged the authorities to distribute the money to the families of Telangana movement activists. She also ruled out joining the BRS under any circumstances.