Tension mounts as VISL Contract Worker dies in Accident at New Rolling Mill

Crowd assembled outside the VISL main gate after hearing the news of the death of a contract worker while he was on duty at the new rolling mill at VISL. MLA BK Sangameshwar addressed the gathering after he had talks with the top brass executives of VISL on Tuesday night

Ramachadra (30), a contract worker died on the spot when he accidentally fell on the platform of the new rolling mill at Visvesvaraya Iron & Steel Plant (VISL) which is a unit of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) on Tuesday night around quarter past eight.

Soon after the contract workers gathered in front of VISL and demanded that they be allowed to see the body of the deceased fellow contract worker Ramachandra. The VISL security guards, however, did not allow anybody including press reporters and this created spar near the main gate until eleven in the night.

Former MLA M J Appaji, MLA BK Sangameshwar, VISL workers’ association president JN Chandrahasa, VISL contract workers’ association president L Rangegowda, CPI district leader DC Mayanna rushed to the spot and expressed their grief. Later they demanded that the top brass executives should talk to them regarding the action to be taken including the compensation to be paid to the kin of the deceased.

Former MLA MJ Appaji who spoke to press reporters said that executive director and the general manager (personnel and administration) have been apprised to initiate action against the erring officials who were responsible for the accident. According to the sources contract worker Ramachandra was pulled into the rolling mill by the rotating rollers when he accidentally fell on the bed of the rolling mill.

Later MLA BK Sangameshwar came out and informed the gathering outside VISL premises that the management had in principle agreed to transfer the AGM Siddaramappa for negligence on his part to discharge the duty efficiently, provide permanent employment to the wife of the deceased contract worker Ramachandra and pay the compensation according to the relevant compensation Act. He also told that the body of Ramachandra will not be allowed to be removed from the spot until the VISL management had signed a MoU containing the terms for which they have agreed in principle.

The permanent employees and the contract workers who arrived for the night shift had to be stranded outside owing to tense situation near the main gate. Police rushed to the spot and conducted mahazar.