The management of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. (SCCL) has been focusing solely on opencast mines due to pressure from the State government, as it would benefit large players in coal-related business activities, president of Telangana Jagruthi and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K. Kavitha has alleged.
Speaking after holding a meeting with leaders of trade union Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), led by its general secretary Riyaz Ahmed, here on Sunday, she demanded that the management pay equal attention to underground mines, which produce high-quality coal compared to opencast mines. Stating that HMS was functioning as an independent trade union without any affiliation to political parties, she said Jagruthi would work closely with it for the rights of Singareni workers.
She explained that opencast mines would cause environmental degradation, including poor rainfall in the coal belt due to the destruction being left behind by them.
Reiterating the demand for exempting income tax to the workers of Singareni, Ms. Kavitha alleged that the management was showing the company’s profits less than actual at the behest of the Congress government in the State. She requested the government to give a 37% bonus to workers this year against 33% given last year.
