Captured mines, SAIL merger sought for VSP

Andhra Intellectuals Forum President Chalasani Srinivas addressed a press conference on the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant issue in Visakhapatnam on Friday. | Photo credit: V. RAJU

Andhra Intellectuals Forum president Chalasani Srinivas on Friday demanded that the Center allot its own mines to the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and merge it with the Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL). He urged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and YSR Congress Party President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to put pressure on the Center to protect the power plant.

Addressing a press conference organized by the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee at the Visakhapatnam Journalists Forum, Mr. Srinivas said that lack of own mines was proving to be a big burden and added ₹6,400 to the cost of producing a tonne of steel. He claimed that several contract workers were removed and their Aadhaar cards were blocked.

Committee representatives said that ₹11,400 crore allocated by the Center was used to repay banks and claimed that no funds were spent on machinery repairs, plant development or workers’ welfare. They said the plant needed immediate modernization and that ₹900 crore in workers’ dues remained unpaid.

Published – 04 Sep 2026 21:42 IST