Panaji | Nov 18, 2016: Following an appeal from striking workers, Vedanta Sesa Goa Iron Ore, on Thursday, revoked the suspension order in the Bicholim mines and restarted mining operations. According to Vedanta officials, the decision was taken after the employees approached the management and appealed for work to resume.
“The suspension order in the Bicholim mines has been revoked with immediate effect. The management took the decision after employees appealed to resume work,” the company said in an official note.
An official spokesperson for the company said that the decision to withdraw the suspension order was taken after several employees, villagers, transporters and contractors, who depend on mining for their livelihood, approached the management seeking resumption in mining activity. “The management sincerely hopes that wise counsel will prevail on the employees and workmen, and normal operations will continue,” the spokesperson said.
Mining operations at the Bicholim mine were suspended on October 13, following alleged threats from the employees union and consequential security concerns. According to Sesa Mining Corporation limited, a Vedanta group company, the workers had launched an agitation to pressurize the company to accept activist Ajitsingh Rane as the union leader and to involve him in employee-management discussions.
Trouble had started on October 11, when around 15 workers entered the Vedanta office premises and threatened a few clerical staff, asking them to leave the office. Similar threats were issued to staff members and senior management officers who were forced to vacate the office on October 11.
Sources said that Bicholim is the costliest mine in Vedanta’s iron ore portfolio and hampering of operations for even a few days would hurt operating margins.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)